Staff attitude and staff performance are among the most important factors in determining a patient's experience of a hospital, according to a new survey conducted by a Norwich hospital.

The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital took advice from John Lewis on how it measures customer satisfaction and came up with a new patient experience survey, which was carried out from September 26 to 30, by hospital volunteers.

A total of 2,212 completed surveys were received from patients in wards, outpatients and day units at both the N&N and at Cromer Hospital.

The survey asked patients how likely they would be to recommend the hospital and asked patients what were the key factors in determining this.

A total of 801 people who scored the hospital positively said it was because of staff attitude, while 480 said it due to good staff performance.

The top drivers for those who had a negative experience at the hospital were waiting times, which was chosen by 79 patients, parking by 40 and staff performance by 25 patients.

Chief executive Anna Dugdale said the hospital received 700 complaints in the last year, which are looked at very closely so that lessons can be learnt, but improving patient experience surveys would help them to understand what patients value most and where they can do better.

She said: 'For me staff performance and attitude are so far ahead of any of the other positive or negative drivers. I think that's a real vote of confidence by our patients in our staff and by the way our patients have been treated by our staff and it's very, very encouraging.

'I have to say we didn't know what this survey would find, and we knew we could find out uncomfortable things but it is important that we do know so we can make changes.'

She added the trust was looking closely at parking arrangements.