NHS trust apologises after mouse filmed on ward

The NHS says pest activity can pose unacceptable risks to patients

An NHS trust has apologised after a mouse was filmed scurrying through a hospital ward in Kent.

A woman visiting relatives at the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham took the video of the rodent on the Tennyson Ward on 15 February.

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said when staff were informed they replied: "Oh there's loads."

Jayne Black, chief executive of Medway NHS Trust, apologised to patients and said the trust was working with pest control experts to clean and monitor the ward.

In 2023, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed the trust's pest control services had responded to 215 call outs for rodents in the previous year.

In the 2022-23 financial year it also spent £28,276 on pest control services.

Medway Maritime Hospital had 215 reported incidents with rodents in 2022

In a statement, Ms Black said: "We are very sorry for the distress caused to patients. We are working closely with pest control experts and hospital colleagues to clean and monitor the area to prevent any further issues, as we take the cleanliness and hygiene of our wards very seriously.

"As part of our preventative measures we have introduced an advanced system using infrared and Bluetooth technology to detect pests.

"We also work hard to minimise opportunities for pests to access our buildings, and encourage staff, visitors and patients to report any incidents immediately, so we can take action at the earliest opportunity and make the improvements needed."