A new survey by UNISON has revealed that rats, cockroaches, silverfish. and other pests, ‘are a regular hazard in NHS buildings’, and that around one in six hospital staff have seen vermin inside their buildings in the past year. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) says that without professional access to glue boards as a method of pest control, public health could continue to be put at risk in healthcare environments.
The trade association says legislation across the UK in regard to glue board usage significantly hampers their members’ ability to react quickly to pest situations in environments with vulnerable people. Glue boards – which opponents say are an inhumane form of pest control, and are opposed by bodies such as the RSPCA – recently came under licence in England, a process which currently has a significant delay on their deployment. A ban on their use is in place in Wales, and similar legislation in Scotland is due to be implemented soon.
A BPCA spokesperson, said: “We are calling on the English, Scottish, and Welsh governments to rethink their glue board strategies, to enable our professional members to prevent pests such as rats and mice populating hospital environments and spreading infectious diseases to people (zoonosis).
“BPCA supports a licensing scheme for the use of glue boards, but the current plans in place across the UK are ill-thought-out, and will have a devastating impact on the control of pests in critical environments. Glue boards are always a method of last resort, but our members currently have no viable alternative to fast and effective control when public health and safety are at risk. Without them, infestations in hospitals could take longer to treat, and the risk of the spread of disease, as well as the mental health impacts on patients and staff of being in an environment where pests are rife, need to be considered.”
The RSPCA says of glue boards: “Glue boards may be viewed as a simple method for controlling rodents. However, they pose significant welfare risks. An animal’s feet are generally stuck first. but as escape attempts are made, other parts of the body also become stuck, which may result in bone fractures, skin tears, bruising with some animals chewing limbs off to escape. This causes severe pain, fear, stress, and anxiety, which can be prolonged. Stress can also cause animals to defaecate and urinate, which contributes to further distress. A review of the use of glue boards for controlling rats reported that the welfare impacts were prolonged, and considered extreme.”