A new British report reveals shocking details about Britain's worst hospitals in terms of cleanliness, with Lancashire and Bedfordshire hospitals ranking the lowest.
Employees of the National Health Service (NHS) spoke about horrifying conditions in some hospitals, reporting the presence of rats and insects, asbestos, and sewage leaks in their workplaces.
Data published by NHS England showed that the "East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust," which manages Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital, ranked the lowest in the country in terms of cleanliness.
Followed by "Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust," which manages Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.
The figures regarding cleanliness were published by NHS England in a report called "Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment" (PLACE) for 2025 in February.
"PLACE" assessments are conducted annually by members of the public—known as patient assessors—and staff. The assessors rate the hospitals based on the cleanliness as well as other aspects of the care environment, such as food provision or privacy.
A total of 1,080 inspections were conducted in 2025, showing significant differences between hospitals.
Healthcare analysts say that a low score does not mean that patients are receiving poor care, but it may indicate that the hospitals need more monitoring.
This follows a survey of 19,000 healthcare workers by the "Unison" trade union.
The shocking report indicated that one in every seven respondents said there were rodents (pests) in their workplaces, including hospitals, clinics, and ambulance stations, over the past year. A similar number reported the spread of silverfish, ants, bed bugs, and cockroaches.
The "Unison" union said its survey revealed a troubling picture of a "dangerous and deteriorating" health service.
One in seven of those surveyed expressed fear that their workplace was unsafe due to the condition of the buildings.
The findings, announced at the union's annual conference in Brighton on Tuesday, include examples of buckets on the floors to collect leaking water, sewage leaks, and public and staff toilets at hospitals being out of order for extended periods, described as unfit for use.
Additionally, one in every 20 healthcare workers surveyed reported the discovery of asbestos in their workplace. Nearly one in every three said the conditions at their workplace had worsened over the past year.
In April of this year, it was revealed that plans to repair crumbling and lightweight aerated concrete (RAAC) constructed NHS hospitals had already fallen three years behind schedule.
This material was used from the 1950s to the 1990s to build hospitals, but has since been deemed unsafe.
It was found that at least 47 hospitals had been built using it, and in 2022, seven hospitals were listed as a top priority for replacement by 2030 because they contain a very high proportion of it, posing a risk to patient safety, but plans to repair these high-risk buildings are falling behind.
In response to the "Unison" survey, the union's head of health, Helga Pile, said: "No patient should be cared for in dirty, unhealthy, and unsafe conditions... And staff should not have to work in such shocking environments either."
She continued: "This survey shows how a lack of funding has left NHS properties in a terrible state of chaos. Hospitals should be places that help people recover, not expose them to harm from rotting rats and raw sewage and dilapidated buildings."
She added: "Recent cuts in staffing and maintenance budgets are adding to the chronic effects of underfunding... Using scarce resources to patch roofs and make short-term repairs to protect patients is not at all conducive."
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