ONE worker in six in Colchester’s hospitals – doctors and nurses included – would be unhappy to see loved ones treated on their wards, a survey suggests.

Staff were asked if a friend or relative needed treatment, would they be happy about the standard of care at Colchester General and Essex County hospitals.

Of the 446 people surveyed, 16 per cent either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the notion they would be satisfied with the care on offer.

The survey places Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 33rd worst of 167 trusts nationwide on the issue.

However, just over half the trust’s staff said they would be happy with the care on offer, while one in three was non-committal.

The snapshot survey was carried out last October, a month before former chairman Richard Bourne was sacked by health regulator Monitor amid concerns about care standards.

Trust spokesman Mark Prentice said the figure was only slightly worse than the national average for acute trusts. At nearby Ipswich Hospital, 15 per cent of staff gave a similar response.

He added: “However, the trust’s stated vision is to achieve excellence in five key domains, including clinical performance and patient satisfaction, and we have always been open and honest that we still have a considerable way to go before we achieve this, although we are making good progress on many fronts.

“The response from our staff also highlights they are not complacent and share the organisation’s determination to make further improvements.”

The survey also found 93 per cent of those asked agreed they made a difference to patients’ lives. The national average was 90 per cent.

However, just 35 per cent said they understood their role in the organisation and how they fitted in.