No charges over C. diff outbreak

She said: "The trust has acknowledged that mistakes were made and their senior management team has changed substantially.

"Our priority now is to provide reassurance to the people of Kent that the infection risk at their hospitals is being properly managed."

Litany of errors

In its report, the Healthcare Commission said a "litany" of errors in infection control had caused the "avoidable tragedy".

It said nurses at the trust were too rushed to wash hands and left patients to lie in their own excrement.

It also found bedpans that had been washed still contained visible traces of faeces.

Beds were also much too close together and patients with infection were being treated on open wards instead of in isolation.

The Healthcare Commission also said pressure created by government targets had been partly to blame.

It concluded that C.diff - a bacterial infection of the gut which mainly affects the elderly - was definitely or probably the main cause of death for 90 patients at the trust.

It was definitely a contributing factor in the deaths of a further 124, and a probable factor in another 55.

Geoff Martin of campaign group Health Emergency said the outbreak was possibly the worst single, corporate failure in the history of the NHS.

He said: "The decision not to bring charges over the catastrophic management failures at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells sends out a signal that no matter how many people die, those at the top can bail out without taking the rap.

"It doesn't get any worse than 90 deaths and it's massive kick in the teeth to the friends and relatives of those who died that no-one will be properly called to account."

Relatives angry

Steve Stroud, husband of former Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker, said he was "disgusted" with the decision.

His 77-year-old stepmother, Doreen Ford, died in Maidstone Hospital after contracting C diff.

Mr Stroud said: "This is disgusting. Someone has got to be held to account over all these deaths and if it is not the hospital trust, then who the hell can it be?

"Someone really should have to carry the can over this... for no charges to be pressed is really disgusting. I can't believe it".

David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive said: "Whilst criminal proceedings have not been brought in this instance, the Trust's failure to protect and care for patients during the outbreaks of Clostridium difficile between 2004 and 2006 was wholly unacceptable."

The trust's chief executive, Rose Gibb, resigned over the scandal.

At the time of her resignation, the the health secretary told the trust to freeze her severance deal and seek legal advice on how to withdraw from providing her with any further remuneration. The dispute is ongoing.

The NHS Litigation Authority is dealing with more than 20 claims for compensation from families who lost loved ones in the outbreak.