COMPLAINTS about treatment provided by Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust have risen by 41 per cent in the last year.
They soared to 230 from the beginning of last April to the end of March this year from 163 in 1998/1999 and 202 the previous year, according to latest figures in a report produced by the trust.
But health officials say the rise in complaints is due to people being more willing to speak up about bad experiences and say they have received fewer complaints compared with similar trusts.
Poor nursing and medical care such as patients being nursed on trolleys and discharged too early without proper communication are the main themes of the complaints.
They also centre on waiting times particularly for audiology outpatient appointments and pathology results - as well as cancellations and cleanliness at Princess Margaret Hospital.
The report also shows the number of complaints answered within 20 working days is far below the trust's target number.
Only 44 per cent were replied to fully in this time compared to the target of 70 per cent.
The figures come in the wake of the misdiagnosis of more than 200 patients by Dr James Elwood at PMH, which is run by the trust. They also follow several high-profile cases of patients being left for hours without treatment at the hospital.
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