Leaking sewage, rats and bedbugs widespread in NHS workplaces, staff claim

Worrying health risks and dangerous conditions are widespread across NHS hospitals, clinics and ambulance stations, new research has revealed.

A Unison survey of over 19,000 NHS staff exposed workplaces plagued by leaking sewage, rodent infestations, and a lack of clean toilets for both staff and patients.

Around one in seven respondents reported vermin, such as rats, in their workplaces over the past year. A similar proportion cited other widespread infestations, including silverfish, ants, bedbugs and cockroaches.

The union described its findings as a concerning snapshot of a "dangerous and dilapidated" NHS estate.

One in seven polled believe their workplace is unsafe due to the buildings’ poor physical state.

The findings, being released at the union’s annual conference in Brighton on Tuesday, include examples of buckets on floors to catch leaking water, sewage leaks, public toilets in hospitals out of order for extended periods and staff toilets described as unusable.

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Source: The Independent, 16 June 2026