Moe than 2,000 NHS buildings predate the health service itself with sewage leaking into wards and broken lifts, according to new research.
At some NHS trusts two thirds of all buildings are more than 75 years old, sparking warnings that crumbling and outdated buildings put patients at risk. Analysis of NHS Digital data by the Liberal Democrats found 34 of 211 NHS trusts across England had at least one in four buildings which had been standing before 1948 - the year the NHS was founded. Just 30 trusts had no buildings that pre-dated that year, the party found.
Sewage leaking from sinks onto wards when it rains was among the issues reported in older buildings, as well as lifts breaking down multiple times a day. One hospital is understood to be using its intensive care unit as a storeroom as it is too unsafe for patients
More than 18,000 pest problems were reported at NHS hospitals in England over the last three years, according to separate research by the Lib Dems. Problems included rats on maternity wards, rodents in kitchens, wasps nests in imaging areas, maggots in a mortuary and ants "coming through the ceiling".
One hospital said "black insects are biting the legs of staff", that the "whole building has a fly infestation", and animal noises were coming from inside the walls. Meanwhile, another hospital discovered rat droppings in a body bag, while another found a headless pigeon.
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Lib Dem health and social care spokeswoman Daisy Cooper described the situation as a "national scandal", with millions of people "treated in old and crumbling hospitals that are no longer fit for purpose". “Patients and staff deserve the dignity of safe, modern and clean hospitals,” she said.
“But instead this government has shamefully chosen to raid capital budgets for fixing crumbling buildings to plug the gap in day-to-day costs, while hospitals are literally falling apart. Rishi Sunak needs to get a grip and announce a plan to fix our crumbling hospital buildings. Patients should not have to pay the price for this Conservative government’s chronic neglect of the health service.”
NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, warned that the "safety of patients and staff is at risk", with too many NHS buildings and equipment "in a very bad way".
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We're investing record sums to upgrade and modernise NHS buildings, with £4.2 billion invested last year alone, which has helped us achieve the biggest five-month fall in waiting lists in the past 10 years. This is on top of expected investment of over £20 billion for the New Hospital Programme - with four hospitals already open and another four due to follow this financial year and a further £1.7 billion for more than 70 hospital upgrades."
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