CLEAN-UP squads are to be sent into North-East hospitals as part of the Government's plans to revive the NHS.
Health Minister Lord Hunt announced a £4m cash injection to the Northern and Yorkshire region as part of a nationwide wash and brush-up for the NHS.
Lord Hunt said that, within six months, every hospital will have been inspected to ensure it had raised standards.
Larger hospitals in the region, like the South Durham Health Care NHS Trust, which includes Darlington Memorial Hospital and Bishop Auckland General Hospital, will receive £150,000 to improve cleanliness.
Medium-sized hospital trusts such as North Durham Health Care, which includes Dryburn Hospital, will get £100,000.
The smallest NHS trusts, such as Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust, which includes The Friarage Hospital, will get £50,000.
The blitz on dirty hospitals follows Health Secretary Alan Milburn's announcement earlier this year that he was introducing higher standards of cleanliness in hospitals to reduce the number of infections contracted by patients
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