Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the award of "Team of the Year" to the Ward Deep Clean Team at Ipswich Hospital during Prime Minister's Questions today.

Responding to Chris Mole MP asking him to congratulate the team who won their award last Thursday (28th April 2008) at the hospital's prestigious Staff Awards Event, the PM welcomed the news that the team had been nominated by their colleagues for the efficient, professional and cheerful way they worked in harmony with others whilst moving patients, cleaning wards and minimising disruption to clinical needs.

Chris Mole said, "This is a high accolade indeed for an excellent team who have delivered a 68% reduction in MRSA bacteraemia numbers reported two years ago, enabling the hospital to come in under its target for the past 12 months.

"I am pleased the PM was able to respond so positively to my question as I know deep cleaning of our hospitals has been a priority of his in contrast to the opposition leader David Cameron who has described it as a gimmick. This would not in my estimation be the view of those who nominated the Ward Deep Clean Team in Ipswich Hospital."

(* Photo: A new machine at Ipswich Hospital which can detect C-Difficile far quicker allowing the hospital to take more rapid and effective action).