NHS Highland has missed two key infection prevention and control targets.
Targets for controlling cases of Clostridium difficile (C.diff) and Staphylococcus aureus were missed between October and December last year, the health board will here next week.
Targets for both were also missed nationally and the board will hear that early data for January to March, which is yet to be validated, shows a significant improvement.
The national target for C.diff is 32 cases per 100,000 occupied bed days – but between October and December in NHS Highland there 41.1.
The Scotland-wide figure was 38 cases.
The non-validated figures for January to March show the figure sitting at just 17.9 cases per 100,000 bed days.
Catherine Stokoe, NHS Highland’s infection control manager, will tell a board meeting on Tuesday, that a C.diff action plan is currently in place.
A C-diff infection is an infection that can affect the digestive system.
It most most commonly affects people who have been treated with antibiotics and symptoms include diarrhoea, a high temperature and painful abdominal cramps.
It can also lead to life-threatening complications, such as severe swelling of the bowel from a build-up of gas.