The number complaints received by the York Health Trust has risen to its highest-ever recorded level.

The number of formal complaints stood at 114 in the period July to September, compared with 72 in the same period last year, and a low of 59 in the quarter before that.

Since then the number of complaints has increased every time, and, in addition, in the last quarter 24 complaints were dealt with informally by hospital managers.

Of the 114 formal complaints, 61 related to hospital in-patient treatment - 50 at York District Hospital (YDH), ten at Bootham Park, and one at Selby War Memorial; 36 related to hospital out-patient services - 34 at YDH and two at Bootham Park; nine related to accident and emergency (A and E) services - eight at YDH and one at Selby War Memorial; and eight related to services provided in the community.

The increase in complaints was seen in most trust directorates, says a report by assistant director Penny Goff, but particularly in A and E, mental health, health records and radiology.

"Other complaint managers in the region have reported similar situations and it is thought to be related to the national publicity surrounding the NHS and the National Plan," she adds.

Trust chief executive Simon Pleydell said a lot of complaints came in after it had to cancel many operations at York District Hospital because of the effect of the Norwalk virus earlier this year.

Others related to people not wanting to wait as long, though he said there had been a year-on-year improvement in the waiting time position.

He added: "I'm never complacent about complaints, and I review every complaint response and sign it off personally. They are enormously important to us as an organisation.

"We also think it's a reflection of how busy we are as an organisation."