The ongoing backlog maintenance crisis affecting hospitals across England has been further highlighted by new figures which reveal that raw sewage is leaking into patient wards at a number of medical centres.

Urine and faecal matter have been found seeping into wards, pouring through ceilings, and spewing out of drains, with one hospital trust recording 105 sewage leaks in 2022 – almost one incident every three days.

The Liberal Democrats, who compiled the data, has branded it a ‘national scandal’, with party leader, Sir Ed Davey, saying: “Our country’s hospitals are falling apart after years of underinvestment and neglect.

“Patients should not be treated in these conditions and heroic nurses shouldn’t have the indignity of mopping up foul sewage.”

The probe also revealed that patients have slipped on the sewage while staff have become ill, complaining of headaches and nausea from the smell. 

Patients should not be treated in these conditions and heroic nurses shouldn’t have the indignity of mopping up foul sewage

Davey added: “There is still no sign of the new hospitals promised by this Conservative Government. They have taken local communities for granted by yet again breaking a manifesto promise.”

The figures were released as it was revealed the cost of overdue maintenance on the NHS estate has reached £9billion, with £4.5billion updates classed as ‘high’ or ‘significant’ risk.  

Responding to the figures, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “While individual NHS organisations are legally responsible for maintaining their estates, we are investing record sums to upgrade and modernise NHS buildings so staff have the facilities needed to provide world-class care – including £4.2billion this year and £8.4billion over the next two years.

“More widely, we have invested £3.7billion for the first four years of the New Hospital Programme and remain committed to all schemes that have been announced as part of it.”