BASILDON Hospital’s patients suffered the smallest number of bedsores of any hospital in the whole country, figures suggest.

Bedsores, otherwise known as pressure ulcers, flare up when skin is put under pressure, often when bed-bound patients are not moved often enough.

However, figures from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers showed the number of hospital acquired ulcers recorded last year was just 50, with none of them considered critical.

This is unusual, as nationally, about 12 per cent of ulcers were found to have deteriorated to a critical level.

Jonathan Wheeler, vice president of the association, said: “I praise the efforts of Basildon Hospital, but not all areas are so fortunate.

Early identification and treatment should ensure pressure ulcers do not reach the critical point.

“All pressure ulcers are painful, but far too many in other areas of the country are being allowed to develop to levels that will cause serious pain and distress and take considerable time and resources to heal.”