Top LibDem admits attack on hospital hygiene was wrong...

Ming Campbell's health spokesman has been forced to issue a grovelling apology to his local hospital after publishing a so-called research document that turns out to be duff.

Norman Lamb MP failed to check the facts before wrongly labelling kitchen hygiene standards at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as among the worst in the country.

A damning LibDem report grabbed the headlines earlier this week with a national hospital league table based on the number of breaches uncovered by environmental health officers.

Of course, the report nicely fitted the LibDem agenda to attack the NHS as failing under Labour.

Just one problem. It was wrong and they've been caught out!

The hospital points out that the LibDems failed to distinguish between serious breaches and minor infringements. And they say it would have been nice if the LibDem MP had actually contacted them to check the facts before grabbing a cheap headline.

Iain Dale's Diary points out that inspection reports at the hospital

made five sensible but minor suggested improvements - including fixing some flaking paint behind a dishwasher, and putting a can opener in the dishwasher rather hand washing it.

The Eastern Daily Press prints Norman Lamb's apology.

If flaking paint behind a dishwasher put the Norfolk and Norwich among the wrost in the country, I look forward to the LibDem report which praises hospital workers.

But I won't hold my breath eh Norman?