Union accuses hospital of degraded sanitary conditions

A statewide union that represents thousands of healthcare workers accused a Riverside County hospital Tuesday of degraded sanitary conditions that led to maggots found in a patient’s mouth as well as in soup in the cafeteria.

A complaint filed to the California Department of Public Health by SEIU-UHW against Parkview Community Hospital alleges that earlier this year an employee reported finding more than 50 maggots in a patient’s nose and mouth. In April, a nurse reported maggots floating in the lentil soup being served in the hospital cafeteria.

Hospital officials denied the claims.

The complaint also alleges a failure to sanitize emergency department hallways where patients are treated because of overcrowding and using an uncertified vehicle to transport patients to an outside MRI facility.

“Management at Parkview Community Hospital is undermining the facility to the point where it’s a struggle to safely care for patients,” Willie Conley, a respiratory therapist at Parkview said in a statement provided by SEIU-UHW. “We have expressed a number of concerns and we believe the public should understand what’s going on behind the hospital’s doors so corrective action can quickly be taken.”

“SEIU-UHW, in a blatant and irresponsible attempt to gain leverage in a labor dispute, made allegations against our hospital that are categorically false,” Steve Popkin, Parkview CEO, said in a statement.