PEST CONTROL
WARD OFF UNWANTED PESTS
Pests, by their very nature, are unwelcome wherever you find them, but none more so than in healthcare environments. Here, David Cross, Head of Technical Training at Rentokil Pest Control and
Luke Rutterford, Technical Manager at Rentokil Specialist Hygiene, explain how hospitals can improve their pest control programmes.
The UK has strict hygiene legislation to which hospitals must adhere so that patients and staff are kept safe. Pest control can be challenging in healthcare facilities because pests, including rodents, can contaminate surfaces, medical supplies and equipment as they move from one food source to another.
Under FOI the Press Association recently obtained data showing that there were nearly 5,000 pest control callouts by NHS trusts to hospitals in England in 2015-16 – the equivalent of around 13 per day. It was reported that rodents and cockroaches have been spotted in maternity wards,
70 | Tomorrow’s Cleaning
children’s intensive care units and even in operating theatres.
In response to these findings, a spokesperson from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said: “We take all pest control matters very seriously and deal with them swiftly. As a large provider of health services in London, the importance of high standards of cleanliness means a robust approach to incidents and prevention is absolutely essential.”
In addition to any potential health risks to patients, failure to maintain hygiene standards and respond to
infestations can be costly, as rodent infestations can lead to the temporary closure of a unit, ward or even an entire facility. Indeed, the Press Association’s findings reveal that pest control callouts cost NHS Hospitals £1.1million over the 12 months from March 2015 to March 2016.
PREVENTATIVE RODENT
CONTROL While pests will always be drawn to a hospital’s warm and dry environment, where there is plenty of food and shelter, facilities managers can put measures in place to ensure every step
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