From April 2007 to January 2008, Northumbria Health Care Foundation Trust, responsible for North Tyneside General Hospital and Wansbeck General, recorded 47 incidents of MRSA, 20 more than its target.

However, the trust recorded 48 incidents of C.Difficile, which was within its target.

This is outlined in a report by director of planning and performance for North Tyneside Primary Care Trust Mark Adams.

Mr Adams said: "There is ongoing work to reduce the number of MRSA and C.Difficile infections.

"There is significant focus at the moment on these conditions, and bringing them down to a lower level."

The PCT recently received part of £5m funding from the North East Strategic Health Authority (NESHA) to start a "deep clean" programme in the summer of 2007.

"Stability at Northumbria Health Care Foundation Trust is a testament to the improvements that are being made and the ongoing work that is being implemented into preventing C.Difficile cases," Mr Adams says.

"All projects that have been implemented from the £5m NESHA funding from last summer are progressing to plan.

"Deep cleans at all organisations have commenced and will be completed by the end of March, 2008."

He told the trust's board that hand-washing and increased awareness about the infections had help keep the number of recorded incidents down.