Patients in Bradford have been urged to complain about dirty hospitals in a bid to prevent the spread of life-threatening superbugs.

Health Secretary John Reid wants patients to join the fight against hospital-acquired MRSA infections, which kill thousands each year.

Unveiling a new plan called Towards Cleaner Hospitals and Lower Rates of Infection, Dr Reid called for patients to demand high standards of cleanliness.

He asked local patient forums to conduct cleanliness inspections four times a year and hospitals to introduce bedside phones so patients and visitors can contact hospital cleaning services.

The move has been welcomed by the head of a local health watchdog who said he would be pleased to work with Bradford Teaching Hospitals to reduce infection rates.

Colin Sloane, chairman of the Trust's Patient and Public Involvement Forum, said: "The main responsibility has to be with the Trust itself, but it cannot do any harm to make patients aware that if they feel there is a health hazard there is a place they can contact."

He added it was a good idea for the forum to carry out hospital inspections. "It is something the forum needs to work with the Trust to develop," he said.

Hospital-acquired infections hit about 100,000 people each year in England, resulting in an estimated 5,000 deaths. In 2002 to 2003 Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust dealt with 48 cases, a rate of 0.17 cases per 1,000 bed days.

This was slightly up on the previous year when there were 45 cases, a rate of 0.16.

Airedale NHS Trust had ten MRSA cases in 2002-2003, an infection rate of 0.10 per 1,000 bed days, the same as the year before.

The new guidance was also welcomed by Cindy Hockley, operations director theatre, anaesthetic and ambulatory services, for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, whose remit includes infection

control.

"I am sure rates are not that high in Bradford because we already have many of these measures in place," she said.

These include every member of staff undergoing an induction with an infection control nurse, lessons on hand washing, monitoring of infection rates and an infection control team who meet daily.

Matrons are in place to monitor ward cleanliness and liaise with patients and visitors.

Dr Reid said patients had a right to demand high standards of cleanliness because it was a matter of life and death.

"Cleanliness is as important to the public as waiting times," he said. "Putting it at the heart of the NHS inspection regime and introducing a new target to cut MRSA, will ensure the whole NHS gives this issue the same high priority the public does."