Several London hospitals, including two mental health units, have been named and shamed for failing crucial hygiene safety tests to fight superbugs like MRSA and C.Diff.

New "super regulator", the Care Quality Commission, was assessing whether hospitals were registered safe to treat patients.

"Conditional registration" was given to 21 NHS hospitals, five in London, deemed to have failed to meet the requirements. They include:

• Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital Trust
• Barnet, Enfield and Haringey mental health NHS trust
• Bart's and London NHS trust
• Lewisham PCT
• South West London and George

Did not observe regulations

While the CQC said the hospitals did not pose an immediate risk to patients - it did impose conditions as they did not yet fully observe the regulation for maintaining cleanliness and safety.

In 13 cases the trusts admitted non compliance and in eight conditions had to be imposed.

CQC found poor infection control, high infection rates or potential risk to patients.

The regulator has the power to impose fines and shut down wards if they do not improve.

Barbara Young, the CQC chair, said:

"While infection rates at these trusts are not necessarily higher, they can do more to strengthen their approaches to infection control and help prevent outbreaks. We will monitor their performance throughout the year and will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers to protect patients' safety where needed."

Young said her team would inspect up to half all NHS trusts providing acute, primary, mental health, and ambulance services during the next 12 months.

To gain registration next year trusts will have to meet a wider range of standards, including satisfying patients about the quality of care. She added: "All trusts must remain vigilant and constantly review and strengthen their performance."