NHS staff say they are “disgusted” by the rats scurrying around the “wellbeing garden” at University Hospital Lewisham.
A whistleblower told the Lewisham Letter that the rodents are running around the feet of patients and staff as they eat in the garden.
Shocking footage, published below, shows the rodents under benches, tables and among the plants in the garden.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust says it has taken action to address the problem since the clip was recorded, however our whistleblower insists it is still an issue.
The worker, who filmed the video in November, told the Lewisham Letter: “It’s disgusting. Patients and staff sit there at lunch.
“It is called the wellbeing garden but it’s not nice to sit there. Sometimes rats even run under our feet to get food.”
But Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust insist its actions have led to a “drastic reduction in pest activity”.
A spokesman for the trust said: “We feel very lucky that University Hospital Lewisham is uniquely positioned next to a beautiful park and the river Ravensbourne, and that we have a wonderful Healing Garden for patients and colleagues to use.
“The location also brings some challenges – one of which is pest control. We take this very seriously and have an active pest control plan in place.
“Since this video was shot in November 2025, we have introduced new measures such as solar compacting waste bins which have helped, and we have further encouraged users to be mindful about food waste, use the bins provided and not feed the wildlife that share our space.
“This has led to a drastic reduction in pest activity and a reflective reduction in complaints about pests.”