NHS patients in Swindon have complained of not being told about the side effects of medication by Accident and Emergency (A&E) staff, according to a survey of the health service.

Although the overall rating of Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust as reported by patients is satisfactory, a number of concerns were highlighted.

One of the most significant was patients felt they were not "informed of medication side-effects".

According to the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) survey, few patients thought they were "told about danger signals to watch for".

And 15 per cent did not think the hospital did enough to stop the pain they were suffering.

The CHI was responsible for the latest hospital league tables.

In that test, considered by the Government to be the key measurement of hospital quality, the trust was awarded two out of three stars, meaning it was performing well overall, but had not consistently reached the same high standards.

The patient survey largely mirrored these findings, showing a good level of satisfaction with hospital services in Swindon. Extra praise was reserved for the cleanliness of the A&E department and for how well doctors and nurses talked to patients.

Outpatient care was also tested in the survey, with Swindon again being seen as satisfactory.

But while patients were impressed with how clean the hospital was, many said staff did not explain the results of medical tests and a high number of other patients thought doctors did not explain why they needed treatment.

But deputy director of nursing, Francesca Thompson, said: "We're pleased the report shows generally our patients have confidence in our staff .

"The areas of concern raised by patients in the survey highlighted the need for the staff to provide better pain relief and to give more detailed information when patients go home.

"Each member of staff has a responsibility to ensure that patients are aware of what danger signals to watch out for and what to do if there is any deterioration in their condition," Ms Thompson said.