Inspectors found contaminated linen on "ready to use" patient beds on a hospital visit.

They also noted body fluid contamination to a patient locker and dirty or contaminated patient equipment at Mid Argyll Community Hospital and Integrated Care Centre in Lochgilphead.

The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) issued four requirements and four recommendations to NHS Highland following the inspection.

The inspectors found that overall, NHS Highland is complying with the majority of national standards to protect patients, staff and visitors from the risk of acquiring an infection.

However they found the standard of patient equipment cleaning varied across the wards and departments they visited, with some patient equipment dirty or contaminated.

Susan Brimelow, HEI chief inspector said: "Overall, we found evidence that the hospital environment was clean in most areas, and staff were complying with the majority of standard infection control precautions."

The health watchdog also ordered the health board to implement a system to deal with failed standard infection control precautions and said that Craignish ward, a community midwifery unit, should be included in the SICPs audit process.

Pat Tyrrell, lead nurse for Argyll and Bute Community Health Partnership, said: "We are very pleased that the HEI has carried out this inspection of Mid Argyll Community Hospital in Lochgilphead.We are delighted that they have recognised the hospital is clean in most areas and that the infection rates within this hospital are very low.

"However we also accept the areas that have been highlighted for improvement and have already taken action to address these."

The inspection took place on July 29 and 30.

NHS Highland has developed an action plan which will be monitored through the Argyll and Bute Infection Control Group and is also available on the HEI website.