Operations cancelled after RAT is found in hospital theatre

Nottinghamshire

Pest controllers have been called into a hospital after a rat was found in an operating theatre.

The rodent, which can spread salmonella and carry potentially fatal Weil’s disease, was spotted at Mansfield’s King’s Mill Hospital, causing several operations to be cancelled.

Karen Tomlinson, director of operations, said: 'We are proud of our services and the extremely high quality of care we offer to our patients.

The rodent, which can spread salmonella and carry potentially fatal Weil's disease, was spotted at Mansfield's King's Mill Hospital, causing several operations to be cancelled

'So we were extremely shocked to learn that there was evidence of a rodent having entered our operating department during the night, at a time when the area was not in use.

Earlier this year it was reported that a patient was bitten more than a dozen times by a rat as he lay sedated in hospital

'Whilst this work was underway, it was therefore necessary to postpone a small number of operations and we have apologized to any patients affected for the inconvenience caused.'

Earlier this year it was reported that a patient was bitten more than a dozen times across his back and neck by a rat as he lay sedated in hospital.

The family of 42-year-old Jason Ketley claimed he was left with painful and bloody injuries after he was savaged by the rodent at a specialist care unit in Surrey.

Staff spotted Mr Ketley stumbling around a corridor with the rat hanging from his neck by its teeth and nurses knocked it off and killed it.

And hospital kitchens are also failing to meet even basic standards of cleanliness, investigation earlier this year found.

Infestations of mice, rats and cockroaches were reported in hospitals across the country, with a lack of training amongst catering staff also putting those in wards at risk.

Health officers discovered that 541 out of 731 hospital kitchens were flouting hygiene regulations and found to be dirty.

At Lewisham Hospital in South East London, environmental officers uncovered 'widespread mouse activity' and an infestation of cockroaches, whilst at Wolverhampton's West Park Hospital a dead rat was found in a cupboard in close proximity to where food was being prepared.