BASINGSTOKE hospital's Sterile Services Unit has undergone a £3million refurbishment.

Work to modernise the facility, which deals with the decontamination of surgical equipment so that it can be reused, lasted two years, and hospital bosses say the unit is now one of the best of its kind in the country.

Hospital trust chairman David Emmerson, who unveiled the unit on Thursday, said: "Staff in the unit have put in a tremendous amount of hard work over the last two years in order to achieve the European standards.

"Their dedication and commitment has provided the opportunity to embrace a quality management system that will enable the unit to become one of the leaders in its field. This, partnered with the trust's capital investment, will help ensure the highest levels of patient safety."

Hospital bosses say that work carried out in the department is meticulous and the equipment used for decontamination is tested on a daily basis.

Every piece is logged and tracked as it goes through the system, ensuring that all aspects of the process have been carefully documented.

The improved unit was unveiled three weeks after the hospital received a one-star rating - out of a possible three - for patient safety in The Sunday Times' Good Hospital Guide. The patient safety element of the guide assesses the measures hospitals have taken to reduce the chance of medical accidents.