Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals have been rated poor for infection control and cleanliness in each month since May 2010.

We are advised that the information is not available in the form requested broken down by month since 2010. Information for the last two years on infection control and cleanliness is publicly available through NHS Choices at

http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/patientsafety/safety-indicators/

The 2014 data show that there are 35 hospitals rated as ‘among the worst’. However, it should be noted that significant improvements have been made by the National Health Service in addressing overall levels of Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and clostridium difficile bloodstream infections. These infections have fallen by 57% and 45% respectively since May 2010.