'Dead rats and fly infestation' at Merseyside hospital causes closures

Staff at a Merseyside hospital have claimed that a fly infestation in surgical wards and the finding of dead rats in the hospital have seen operations cancelled.

Workers at Clatterbridge Hospital in Wirral say that parts of the hospital are struggling with a fly infestation at the moment, leading to surgery cancellations and even some staff being moved to Arrowe Park Hospital, which is run by the same trust.

The Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust, which runs Clatterbridge, said that an 'ageing estate in a semi-rural area' means the site can experience 'unwelcome pests' but that strong and swift action is taken to ensure patient safety is not compromised.

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One staff member, who asked not to be named, told the ECHO that earlier this month several dead rats were found in a ceiling space in the hospital

The staff member told the ECHO: "For the past three weeks there has been a fly infestation. The lights in theatres are full of flies and there are flies openly flying around the building.

"Two weeks ago three dead rats were located in ceiling space. The general consensus amongst staff is that they have never resolved the issue from the rats. They’ve poisoned them and now there is a mass fly infestation that doesn’t seem to be going away."

The NHS worker said the pest problems have seen planned surgery scrapped at the hospital, adding: "Patients are not being informed and are being told there is a sterility issue with kit, and some are being cancelled on the day despite the issue being well known and discussed by senior management."

This is not the first time that pest problems have caused issues at Clatterbridge. In 2023, the ECHO reported that four operating theatres at the hospital had been forced to close down after a 'suspected mouse' was found. A photo appeared to show a rodent inside the hospital at the time.

Speaking about the current issues, a staff member who works in the surgical department said: "The doors and theatres have been closed off but there is still flies everywhere. Management are trying to contain the infestation by saying it’s in theatre 2,3 and 7. It’s much bigger than that and there are flies throughout the entire department." The staff member shared images of closed surgical wards and rooms with UV lights on designed to catch flies."

Responding to the concerns raised by staff, a Wirral University Teaching Hospital spokesperson said: “Patient safety is our number one priority. Like all organisations, we have strict infection control policies in place. This includes ensuring our buildings are free from any unwelcome pests. We tackle this on a proactive basis in line with our external pest control specialists.

“As we manage an ageing estate in a semi-rural area, with an extensive range of buildings and facilities, we can experience unwelcome pests throughout the year. If we identify any issues with pest control, we take swift and appropriate action to ensure patient safety is not compromised.”