Leslie Ash slams dirty hospitals

Actress Leslie Ash today spoke of her own fight against a superbug at the launch of a summit on cleaner hospitals.

Ms Ash almost died after contracting MSSA, which is similar to the hospital superbug MRSA, while being treated for a broken rib.

She today called for more action to tackle the problem at the Patients Association Clean Hospitals Summit in London.

Ms Ash, 45, who will become the association's vice-president, told the Standard: "Hospitals have got to get cleaner, they should get back to smelling of disinfectant and not urine or vomit. We have got to get it under control."

Ms Ash contracted MSSA after being admitted to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with a broken-rib and punctured lung which she said was sustained through "energetic sex". Her husband, former footballer Lee Chapman, was later arrested for assault. He was released without charge and both deny he injured her.

The infection took hold in her spine through an epidural site and she lost feeling in her legs. A sixinch abscess on her back was removed in emergency surgery.

Now recovered, she said: "I go to the gym every day and my agent is talking to people about work. You put your life in the hands of other people and most of the nurses are brilliant but some are less than vigorous when washing their hands."