Vince Cable

A survey of 80,000 patients across Britain (the NHS Patient Survey) found that Kingston Hospital had the dirtiest toilets and bathrooms in Britain*.

Compared with a national average of 13% unhappy with the condition of toilets and bathrooms (and 51% very happy) the Kingston figure was 38% (Ealing was next with 30%).

The hospital has said that the survey related to the end of 2003 and standards have since improved.

Vincent Cable said: "it is not reassuring for local residents when our hospitals get severely criticised in this way. No one can claim that the reports are biased or unfair or based on anecdote; the results represent a large sample of opinion amongst patients. There is absolutely no excuse for lack of cleanliness. There is a serious failure of management: lack of proper priority to hygiene and poor supervision of cleaning contracts".

*This is the same survey which was particularly negative about the overall performance of the West Middlesex.