CLEANING of wards and equipment at York Hospital has got worse, the Government said today.

The hospital's rating under the Department of Health's traffic light system has been downgraded from "green" to "amber", or satisfactory. The findings buck a national trend of improving standards.

Inspections by independent Patient Environment Action Teams (PEAT) also found the food given to patients had room for improvement.

York Hospital's rating was based on an inspection carried out last May.

Now there are real fears that it could slip again as informal feedback from a PEAT inspection carried out last week shows that cleaning standards in some areas have declined further.

Danny Morgan, director of facilities with York Health Services NHS Trust, said today's rating shows that day-to-day cleaning issues were vitally important, particularly during the current refurbishment of the hospital.

He said: "This rating was unexpected. We have gone from two good ratings to an acceptable rating.

"One area that was marked down was the entrance to the hospital.

"It was always going to be difficult with the construction work, but because we know it's all going to be all right in the end when the work's finished, we have taken our eye off the day-to-day issues.

"Standards of our own acceptance have slipped in public areas and that's something I will be working on with my colleagues.

"If last May, outside inspectors considered us worthy of an acceptable rating I don't think we are much improved from that now - and we must be, that's what I'll be concentrating on."

In today's ratings, the catering team at York scored an "amber" rating, along with Friarage Hospital, Malton and Norton Hospital, Scarborough General Hospital and Selby and District War Memorial Hospital.

However, Harrogate District Hospital managed to score a "green", or good, rating - placing it among the top 17 per cent in the country.

Scarborough General and Harrogate District Hospitals also kept their "green" rating for cleanliness last year, the same as in 2001.

Friarage, Malton and Norton and Selby all scored "amber" ratings, the same as two years ago.

Nationally, no hospitals were given a red light, an improvement on three years ago when 35 per cent were considered to have poor levels of cleanliness.

The Government is now planning to increase the level of cleanliness testing, with more equipment due to be examined.

Ministers also want to extend the range of food and drinks available in A&E departments and to offer cash help to extend services provided by the WRVS and League of Friends.

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, February 27, 2003