Around one in six (17%) NHS nurses and colleagues believe the buildings in which they work are unsafe, a new survey by the union Unison has found.
Rats, cockroaches, silverfish and other pests were also described as a ‘regular hazard’ in NHS buildings by many health workers, the union warned.
The findings come as Nursing in Practice seeks the views of practice and community nurses on the state of the premises they work in. Complete our survey here.
Unison’s UK-wide survey of almost 8,800 hospital health workers has sparked fresh calls for funding to address the poor state of NHS buildings.
Related Article: Take Nursing in Practice’s survey for a chance to win £200 and influence the debate
More than half of the NHS staff surveyed (52%) said they have seen buckets catching leaking water in their workplace buildings in the past year, while 23% have witnessed sewage leaks.
Over a quarter (28%) say public toilets in their hospitals have been out of order for extended periods, while three in ten (30%) reported broken staff toilets.
Almost half (47%) of NHS respondents said lifts were out of order, while 27% reported defective lighting and 21% warned of ‘crumbling’ ceilings.
Some 16% said they had seen vermin inside their buildings in the last 12 months, and a further 16% reported evidence of other infestations such as silverfish, ants and cockroaches.
And starkly, almost one in six (17%) said their hospital buildings were unsafe.
One member of staff working in north west England told Unison there were vermin bait boxes dotted all over their hospital, but this had not stopped rats getting into a room storing sterile instruments and supplies.
The health worker added that a leaking waste pipe had resulted in a foul odour in the surrounding area for over a year.
Unison head of health Helga Pile said the findings painted ‘a worrying picture of an NHS system that’s falling apart at the seams and in need of a serious overhaul’.
Related Article: GP surgery ‘on the brink’ with nurse working in broom cupboard
‘No one should be dodging rats, stepping over sewage or watching out for falling ceiling tiles in NHS buildings,’ she said.
Ms Pile added: ‘Money needs to be made available immediately to sort out the worst of the problems.
‘Longer-term investment plans must be sped up and maintenance budgets spared the axe. If operations are cancelled and wards closed because of pests and sewage leaks, delays and waiting times will only get worse.’
The survey, carried out between 26 February and 14 March 2025, saw 8,794 hospital worker participants.
Related Article: ‘We need better buildings’: GPNs turning cleaning cupboards into clinic rooms
Nursing in Practice is looking to explore the experience of practice and community nurses when it comes to the buildings they work in, including whether they are fit for purpose and of an appropriate size.
Previously, general practice nurses have warned of being forced to turn cleaning cupboards into clinic rooms and of struggling to take on new nursing students because of a lack of appropriate space and buildings.
Complete our survey which covers this topic and others and be in with a chance of winning £200 in vouchers.
