NHS hospitals are calling in rat catchers and pest control teams every week after 2,000 cleaners were let go, according to an an article on the Mirror website.
Freedom of Information requests show 101 NHS hospital trusts called in pest control teams more than 7,000 times in 2013/14 – more than once a week each on average. Official stats show the number of hospital cleaners were cut by 2,393 between 2011 and 2014 to 38,653.
Hospitals reported rat infestations, ants “crawling over patients” and people with mental illness suffering “bite marks,” the article said.
Fifteen hospital trusts are now failing to meet basic standards on cleanliness and infection control, according to the Care Quality Commission watchdog.
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