A YEAR ago we reported that York Hospital had the best record in England for tackling the infamous MRSA superbug.

It boasted a table-topping infection rate of only 0.04 cases per 1,000 bed days.

Disappointingly it has been unable to sustain this achievement. The infection rate increased, and this year the hospital plummeted to 42nd place in the league table.

MRSA is inextricably linked with poor hygiene, so it is no coincidence that the hospital also lost its three-star status this year, with cleanliness the one key target on which the trust was judged to be under-performing.

The latest review has found the hospital still wanting. An independent watchdog reports that hygiene on the wards is only "acceptable" and there have been occasions when standards have slipped below even this mediocre rating.

The rise of MRSA is a national nightmare. Official estimates suggest it causes 5,000 deaths a year.

Patients now have a real fear that they could be struck down by a potentially deadly illness while on the wards.

This is unacceptable. A hospital is the one place which must be cleaner than clean.

York Hospital has made efforts to turn the corner on cleanliness, including the appointment of ward housekeepers.

Clearly more needs to be done. Bosses should study how the best performing hospitals beat the bug and apply those lessons urgently.

Updated: 10:30 Wednesday, December 08, 2004