The ambulance service which looks after patients in Filey could be closed down after failing to meet hygiene standards.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust was among 21 of 388 trusts nationwide given a warning by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission after failing to make the grade.

All trusts have to meet certain standards to be allowed to register with the commission. These conditions are legally enforceable and failure to act means trusts could be issued with warning notices and fines, or face prosecution or closure.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service was the only ambulance trust in the country not to meet its cleanliness requirements fully.

Examples of expected improvements include ensuring the decontamination of surgical equipment is up to scratch and developing tighter policies to tackle infections like MRSA, Clostridium difficile and legionella, which causes legionnaires’ disease.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been given a deadline of June 30 to make improvement to allow the service full, unconditional registration with the commission.

Read full article: Filey Mercury.