A SPOT check by the Healthcare Commission has revealed that hospitals in east Kent have good infection control in place.

Assessment managers made an unannounced visit to East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust at its headquarters at Kent and Canterbury Hospital and spent some time walking around the building.

A report produced by the commission said that the trust was able to show that good infection control was an integral part of the way it operated.

It had introduced training for staff, contractors and other people, gave regular reports to the trust board and was making improvements in finding more isolation facilities.

The commission recommended that the trust continued to improve and strengthen the systems in place to manage the risk of hospital acquired infections, with particular regard to making sure that staff are aware of the need for prevention.

Trust chief executive Stuart Bain, writing in his monthly newsletter to staff, said the trust was well into its deep clean programme, which was being paid for by a Government grant of £550,000.

The trust’s C difficile rate hit an all time low in December, with six cases recorded. It had two MRSA cases.

The trust’s MRSA rates between April and December showed a 44 per cent reduction on the year before.