PRINCESS Alexandra Hospital failed to reduce the rate of superbug infection among patients last year, National Audit Office figures revealed.

Between April 2002 and March 2003, the Harlow hospital recorded 37 cases of MRSA infection, at a rate of 0.18 per 1,000 bed hours and although figures for 2003-04 show a reduction in the total number of cases to 32, the infection rate of 0.18 per 1,000 bed days remained unchanged.

British hospitals, according to the audit office report, have the worst MRSA infection rates in Europe outstripping such countries as Croatia, Slovenia and Romania.

Around 300,000 patients pick up an infection in hospital every year and it is estimated that 5,000 die from a hospital-acquired illness.

MRSA, methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, is the best known bug and accounts for approximately 40 per cent of infections.

A Princess Alexandra Hospital spokesman said: "The trust has had average to low infection rates for MRSA for the last four years. However this does not indicate any complacency on our part. On the contrary, we rigorously promote current best practice with staff and reducing infections is a central theme in our plans to improve patient care.

"We also welcome the new guidelines announced by the Health Secretary and are already looking at how we implement these new national recommendations alongside our current procedures."

Each ward at Princess Alexandra Hospital has an infection control nurse and the trust employs a specialised doctor to oversee protocols.

Health Secretary John Reid recently announced plans requiring every hospital in England to publish its infection rates and trends, asking for the advice of experts from countries that have successfully dealt with the problem and giving patients the facility to summon cleaning staff when they need to.

Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone saw a drop in MRSA figures from 43 in the year ending March 2003 to 37 between April 2003 and March this year. Its infection rate was 0.15 per 1,000 bed days.

The worst general hospital trust in the country for MRSA infections was North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton, with a 0.33 infection rate per 1,000 bed days.