Written question asked by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 1 March 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 March 2004. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 March 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pest infestations he estimates there were in NHS hospitals in each year since 1996 in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority. - Including fact that not collected centrally.

Answer: Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pest infestations he estimates there were in NHS hospitals in each year since 1996 in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority. [158542] Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for individual national health service hospitals to make their own arrangements to deal with, or otherwise ensure the prevention of, pest infestations. The NHS has recently been reminded of the need to ensure that proper control procedures are in place. Action Area Three (Reducing Reservoirs of Infection) of "Winning Ways", the Chief Medical Officer's Report on measures to tackle healthcare associated infections, requires that "all healthcare settings should aim to eradicate pests such as rats, mice, ants, cockroaches pigeons and flies".

Secondary information