Over 500 pest sightings in local hospitals in 3 years

THERE have been more than 500 pest sightings in properties owned by the Western and Southern health trusts during the last three years.

According to figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests, the two health trusts spent more than £80,000 on pest controllers during the three-year period.

The Western Trust, which operates the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital, Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex, the South West Acute Hospital outside Enniskillen and Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital, recorded a total of 429 sightings from 2017 up until October 2019.

During that period, pests dealt with in the Western Trust area included mice, rats, silverfish and bedbugs.

Other sightings were made including those of wasp nests, woodlice and black ants.

Over the three years, the Western Trust spent a total of £37,216 on pest control providers.

Responding to the figures a spokesperson for the Trust said, “It would be unrealistic to expect that large, public buildings with a significant throughput of people will be completely pest-free… the public should be reassured that the Trust has robust procedures in place to quickly and effectively deal with pests.”

At 93, the Southern Trust had the lowest number of pest sightings in three years of all five of the North’s health trusts – yet still spent £44,000 on pest controllers.

In 2017, mice were spotted in the main kitchen of South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon, while in 2019 cockroaches were reported in Craigavon Hospital’s main kitchen.

A Southern Trust spokesperson said, “The vigilance of staff and early intervention by pest control specialists ensures that any suspected pest activity is dealt with as soon as possible.”