PRIMARY care trusts in south Essex have fallen below the national average for providing soap and other hand cleaning material, a poll has found.

The results come from the Healthcare Commission's staff survey.

It showed South East Essex Primary Care Trust and South West Essex Primary Care Trust scored lower than the national average for making sure visitors, patients and staff had access to alcohol rubs or soap and hot water.

More than 400 workers at South East Essex PCT replied to the commission's survey, carried out last year. They rated the trust 4.2 out of a possible 5 for providing hand washing material, and the national average is 4.42.

The 376 staff from South West Essex PCT who completed the survey rated their trust at 4.37.

Meanwhile, the South East Essex trust, whose annual £413million budget provides services from 20 health centres and clinics, was in the lowest group for giving staff appraisals across the country.

Fewer than half of staff who replied said they had been given an appraisal or personal development review in the past year.

Of the staff who had been given one, only 20 per cent felt they were well structured. More staff had said they had been given appraisals at the South West Essex trust, but this was still below the national average.

However, overall, staff working at both trusts were happy with their jobs, the commission found.

Andrew Pike, chief executive of South East Essex PCT, said: "I am especially pleased the feedback shows staff are positive about working for the PCT.

"I would like to thank all our staff for their hard work and dedication. We very much value the feedback we have received and we are committed to improving the areas in which staff have said that we are not doing so well.

"In particular, we are committed to achieving 100 per cent staff appraisals in the next year."

No one was available for comment at the South West Essex trust.