AN improvement notice slapped on Ipswich Hospital for breaches of the hygiene code has been removed, it emerged today.In February the Healthcare Commission ordered the Heath Road hospital to get better at the way it dealt with some infection control practices following an unannounced visit.

AN improvement notice slapped on Ipswich Hospital for breaches of the hygiene code has been removed, it emerged today.

In February the Healthcare Commission ordered the Heath Road hospital to get better at the way it dealt with some infection control practices following an unannounced visit.

The commission found breaches of the code, which is designed to prevent healthcare-associated infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile, in the use of benchtop sterilisers used to decontaminate surgical equipment.

The commission revisited the hospital on March 7 to assess its improvements and found it had made the necessary changes, so the notice to improve was lifted.

Dr Andrea Gordon, acting head of central region for the Healthcare Commission, said: “I am pleased that the trust has taken action to ensure that it is now compliant with the improvement notice.

“This is about giving reassurance to patients and the public that everything is being done to minimise the risks of healthcare-associated infection. We are pleased with the way the trust has responded to the issues we have raised.

“It is important that the trust continues its progress and implements the recommendations we have made following our most recent visit. We are assured that the strategic health authority will see that this happens.”

Andrew Reed, chief executive of Ipswich Hospital, said: “We are clearly very pleased that the Healthcare Commission has taken this action. Safety is our top priority.”

Does more need to be done to tackle infections at Ipswich Hospital? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.