Better handwashing and other hygiene measures are starting to pay off for Kingston Hospital after a huge drop in the rates of hospital superbugs MRSA and clostridium difficile.

The hospital saw a 22 per cent drop in the rate of MRSA in April to September 2006 compared to the previous six months to March, with 18 cases or 2.03 cases per 1,000 bed days. It is a 47 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2005, when there were 34 cases. The figures released this week by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are for the most vulnerable patients over the age of 65.

The rate of clostridium difficile (C. Difficile) has also dropped by 17 per cent in the three months up to September with 60 cases, compared to 72 in the previous quarter of April to June.

The new rate is a third less than that for January to March 2006, when 89 older patients caught the potentially fatal bacterial infection, showing Kingston has reversed its spiralling infection rate.

Janet Shepherd, director of nursing and quality at Kingston Hospital said: "We are absolutely delighted that our hard work is starting to pay off. Early figures show that we are on course for a further reduction in the period between October and January 2006.

"As well as improving hand hygiene compliance, levels of cleanliness have also improved. The National MRSA Improvement Team recently visited the Trust and gave us a clean bill of health."

Health Minister Lord Hunt said that the number of people complying with handwashing procedure at Kingston had improved from 51 per cent to 96 per cent after the NHS team came to the hospital to work with staff.

Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer said: "I am delighted and congratulate them - they have put enormous resources into this."