Health criticism

Infection problems were highlighted at Horsham Hospital by the Healthcare Commission last November, where some items of equipment were not being cleaned between patients and cleaning schedules were not consistently completed.

The health watchdog, now known as The Care Quality Commission, identified the trust as not doing enough in areas such as cleanliness and decontamination.

The regulator said if poor infection control did not improve, tough measures fines and closure of services could be imposed.

West Sussex Primary Care Trust confirmed: "Some items of patient equipment were being used between two patients and not cleaned between use '“ ie a patient hoist and a wheelchair and cleaning schedules and checking were not consistently completed or displayed publicly."

For full story see West Sussex Gazette April 8