Unit secures cleanliness standard

The sterilization and disinfection unit will be inspected every six months

A Suffolk hospital which is battling to reduce the spread of superbugs has achieved an international quality rating for cleanliness.

Ipswich Hospital has met the criteria for the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) 9001:2000 quality assurance standard.

The hospital's sterilisation and disinfection unit (HSDU) achieved the rating after a two-day inspection.

The unit is primarily responsible for cleaning equipment used in surgery.

Steve Harrup, the hospital's director of estates and facilities, said: "Members of the public and patients should gain much reassurance from this award because it is international recognition of our total commitment to patient safety."

Ipswich Hospital recently called in the Health Protection Agency for help to reduce the number of cases of the Clostridium difficile bug after it recorded an unusually high number in August.

Assessors from the British Standards Institute will now spend two days at the hospital every six months to ensure the cleanliness standards in the sterilisation unit are being maintained.