Experts assessed cleanliness, hygiene and infection control

The regulator will be giving evidence on Monday to the Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) task force in Edinburgh.

A study of 916 care homes carried out in 2003/4 found that eight out of 10 were meeting hygiene standards.

The task force will tackle concerns over rising hospital infection rates.

The Commission's director of healthcare regulation, Susan Brimelow, will discuss the findings - which assessed cleanliness, hygiene and infection control in elderly care homes.

The figures were better than we'd hoped for, though there is certainly no question of complacency Susan Brimelow Care Commission

She said: "We firmly believe the right approach is to work with the care providers, so that regulation is helping those services to improve.

"However, where it becomes necessary we will take firmer action if our recommendations or requirements are ignored then we will move to enforcement.

"Of the 916 inspections in this study, that was only necessary in four cases.

"The good news is that the figures were better than we'd hoped for, though there is certainly no question of complacency being allowed to creep in."

The study, first published in October 2005 and now being presented in evidence to the HAI, found that 209 of the 916 homes sampled were issued with at least one recommendation or requirement for improving cleanliness, hygiene or infection control procedures.

Basic rules

In most cases recommendations were made to improve poor clinical waste management, inadequate cleaning and maintenance of equipment, lack of staff training and inadequate storage and servicing of food.

Jacquie Roberts, Chief Executive of the Care Commission, said care homes faced particular challenges.

She said: "These services are not hospitals - they are people's homes and must balance the need to reduce the risk of infection against the importance of maintaining a homely and welcoming environment.