December 1st 2024.
The issue of bed bugs in London hospitals has been a persistent problem for the past seven years. This is concerning for patients, including children, who may be at risk of exposure to these pests. According to recent reports, over 500 infestations have been reported by 19 NHS trusts in London since 2018. The cost of dealing with these infestations has reached hundreds of pounds for some hospitals.
Among the most affected hospitals are the Royal London Children's Hospital, which is under the management of Barts Health NHS Trust, and King's College Hospital, which falls under the King's College Hospital NHS Trust. Despite the NHS's own guidelines on pest control, which emphasize the importance of maintaining a safe and hygienic environment, these hospitals have struggled to control bed bug infestations.
In fact, a Freedom of Information request by Metro revealed that more than 40 London hospitals have reported a total of 546 bed bug incidents since 2018. Out of the 35 trusts in London, 19 have had to call in pest control, with 17 of them specifically dealing with bed bug incidents. The highest number of bed bugs was found in Barts Health NHS Trust, with a whopping 177 infestations since 2018. Shockingly, over a third of these incidents occurred in 2024 alone, with 62 reported cases.
The majority of bed bug incidents in Barts Health NHS Trust were found in The Royal London Hospital, which is a well-known teaching hospital and home to one of the largest children's hospitals in the UK. The hospital is also the base for London's Air Ambulance. The Royal London Hospital accounted for 105 of the 177 bed bug infestations in the trust, with other affected hospitals including St Bartholomew's Hospital, Mile End Hospital, Whipps Cross Hospital, and Newham Hospital.
Another trust that has dealt with a high number of bed bug incidents is King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Patients in their major trauma center and other hospitals have potentially been exposed to bed bugs 86 times in the last seven years. Most trusts have prepaid for pest control contracts, so the cost of dealing with bed bug incidents is included. However, for some hospitals, the expenses can be significant. For example, South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust had to spend over £41,000 to manage just four bed bug incidents. In another case, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust paid over £12,000 to resolve a bed bug infestation in a 19-bed ward.
On the other hand, some trusts have been lucky enough to report no bed bug incidents in the last seven years. These include The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust. Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, expressed concern about the high cost of pest control for hospitals, which adds to their already large backlog of essential repairs. She emphasized the need for a safe and healthy environment for patients, staff, and visitors, and the negative impact that pests can have on a hospital's reputation and public confidence.
Over the past seven years, hospitals in London have faced a persistent issue with bed bugs. This has become a major concern, especially for patients, including children, who may be exposed to these pests. According to recent reports, there have been hundreds of infestations in London hospitals since 2018 alone. In fact, 19 NHS trusts in the city have had to call in pest control over 500 times to deal with bed bugs, resulting in significant costs for some hospitals.
Two of the hospitals that have been severely affected by these pests are the Royal London Children's Hospital, which is managed by Barts Health NHS Trust, and King's College Hospital, which falls under King's College Hospital NHS Trust. Despite the NHS's own pest guidance warning, which emphasizes the importance of proper pest control for the safety and hygiene of healthcare facilities, these hospitals have still faced numerous bed bug incidents.
In total, there have been 546 bed bug incidents reported by the trusts responsible for more than 40 London hospitals since 2018. This information was obtained through a Freedom of Information request by Metro. Out of the 35 trusts in London, 19 have had to call in pest control services, and 17 of those have specifically dealt with bed bug incidents. Barts Health NHS Trust was found to have the highest number of bed bug cases among the trusts that kept a record. In fact, they have faced a staggering 177 bed bug infestations since 2018, with 62 of those occurring in 2024 alone.
The majority of these cases were reported at The Royal London Hospital, which is not only a renowned teaching hospital but also home to one of the largest children's hospitals in the UK and London's Air Ambulance. Out of the 177 bed bug incidents in Barts Health NHS Trust, 105 were recorded at The Royal London Hospital. This trust also manages St Bartholomew's Hospital, Mile End Hospital, Whipps Cross Hospital, and Newham Hospital.
The second-highest number of bed bug incidents were found in hospitals managed by King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. This includes their major trauma center and other hospitals, where patients may have been exposed to bed bugs a total of 86 times in the last seven years.
While most trusts have prepaid for pest control contracts, some have had to bear the additional cost of dealing with bed bug incidents. This can be quite expensive, as seen in the case of South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, which paid a whopping £41,366.13 to manage only four bed bug incidents. In another instance, Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey Mental Health Trust had to spend over £12,000 to resolve a single case of bed bugs in a 19-bed ward at St Ann's Hospital. This is significantly higher compared to other trusts, such as Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, which paid £400 for three callouts, or the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which spent £55 per callout for their 10 bed bug incidents.
Interestingly, there were a few trusts, including The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, that reported no bed bug incidents at all in the last seven years. Saffron Cordery, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, expressed concern over the situation, stating that it is alarming to see trusts spending millions on pest control, in addition to the already high backlog of essential repairs to buildings and equipment. Clearly, this is a significant issue that needs to be addressed promptly.
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