The hospital's complaints and litigation department received 321 formal complaints during the financial year 2006-2007, a decrease of 6.1 per cent on the previous year.

A further 68 informal complaints were also lodged and 13 requests were made to the Healthcare Commission for independent reviews.

The top subject of complaints was delay or cancellation of appointments, with 64 complaints, followed by inadequate nursing care, 48; attitude of staff, 42; communication/information given to patients, 41; car parking, 38; and inappropriate treatment, 22.

Three complaints were categorised as high risk, 55 moderate and 263 low, and all complaints were responded to within 20 working days.

The hospital has already made improvements as a result of the complaints including improved signage for disabled patients, better patient documentation, changes in catering to meet special diets, better communication between estates and wards before removal of equipment and increased staff used to assess children by occupational therapists.

Of the 13 complaints to the Healthcare Commission, five had been resolved, two were discontinued, one was declined and five are on going.

Thirty six new clinical negligence and employer's liability claims were also made, mostly about surgery and anaesthetics. Of these, 27 were closed, eight having been settled out of court.

Changes made due to these claims include a new 27-point action plan to minimise risk of patients falling and neck posterior triangle lymph node removal only being carried out by senior staff.

A hospital spokesman said although every complaint is one too many, they represent just 0.1 per cent of the Trust's overall activity.

The report also says just one inquest involved the complaints and litigation department. A hospital report was required and two members of staff were called to give evidence, but the coroner's verdict was death due to natural causes.

But it warns that since West Norfolk came under the jurisdiction of the Greater Norfolk coroner on April 1, the hospital has seen a "significant increase" in inquest involvement which will be fully reported on in the department's next annual report.