Outrage over filthy wards

Blood stains, dirty floors and soiled mattresses were found at a Black Country hospital during an NHS inspection, it was revealed today.

The emergency assessment unit at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital was branded "exceptionally unclean" by inspectors from NHS regulator the Care Quality Commission.

New details emerged today of the conditions found on wards, which led to the hospital's service to patients being criticised.

Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has been given until the end of the month to make improvements.

The trust was last week rated "weak" for its overall quality of service to patients by the commission although its financial management was praised.

Details from the report, released today, reveal: "The EAU was exceptionally unclean. Walls had dirt marks and stains and visible layers of thick dust were observed on floor corners and edges as well as on general equipment such as trolleys and stands.

"Within three of the cubicles the walls were stained with what appeared to be blood. We also observed one patient privacy curtain that appeared to be soiled."

Inspectors found a patient slipper behind a locker in a side room on Ward B2 and said it indicated that the room had not been cleaned to a good standard.

They also examined four mattresses which were ready for patient use and found three were soiled and stained.

The report added: "The trust must take appropriate action to ensure that the environment for providing healthcare is suitable, clean and well-maintained."

Chief executive Paula Clark said: "We are very disappointed by this report which shows our standards of cleanliness to be below what we would wish for all our patients."