Forty two hospitals are failing to meet the basic standards of cleanliness demanded by a £60 million government campaign to improve hospital hygiene. The worst cases, including two large teaching hospitals will be "named and shamed" today.

Ministers, although disappointed at the six per cent failure rate, will be pleased improvements since January when 253 hospitals failed to make the grade.

The health secretary, Alan Milburn, will today announce that 30 hospitals previously graded "red" are close to moving to "amber" and those on a DoH "dirty dozen" hit list will receive special help to improve standards.