Macclesfield Hospital’s high rates of C. difficile and MRSA mean it is likely to miss government targets this year.

John Wilbraham, East Cheshire NHS Trust chief executive, said the disappointing figures could be due to the retirement of their microbiologist earlier this year.

In June alone there were seven cases of C. diff and there have been 18 so far this year.

The national target is no more than 24 in a year for cases acquired in hospital.

There have been three cases of hospital-acquired MRSA this year – there should have been no more than two so far and can be no more than 10 by December if national limits are to be met.

Clostridium Difficile is a gut bacteria while MRSA is a bacteria with often attacks the respiratory system.

Mr Wilbraham, below, told a trust board meeting: “We have had a spike in May and June and the rate is much higher than we would expect.

“This is a real area of concern and we do need to get it right.”

He said that across 2010 and 2011 combined, there were just 27 cases of C. difficile, adding: “We have got a good history of infection control so this is a real disappointment for us as an organisation. It’s not what we usually do. The retirement of our microbiologist could have some bearing but we now have someone new in and there is optimism that we can turn this around.”

He said the hospital had invited the Health and Safety Authority in to advise them on how to improve the rates.

Cases of C. difficile which start in the community are on track  with 17 so far this year – far less than the national limit of no more than 90 in a year.

Macclesfield Hospital is meeting its treatment targets.

The target set by the government is for 90pc of patients to be treated within 18 weeks of referral from their doctor.

The trust has made it to 90.6pc this month, 91.1 pc in the first quarter and its year to date performance is 91.2pc.