Health chiefs have pledged to crack down on noisy patients in NHS Tayside hospital wards.
The results of a survey of more than 1,000 patients about their experiences at 13 hospitals across the region identified noise on the wards as one of their biggest gripes.
Nearly 30% of respondents said night-time noise from other patients bothered them during their stays – though it was one of few significant concerns raised.
The survey also found that two-thirds of patients were unhappy with a lack of information on how to provide feedback or complain about the care they received, while 38% were dissatisfied with how clinical errors were dealt with.
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside described noise at night as a “continuing challenge” for hospitals but pledged action.
“While the percentage figure is an improvement since the last survey, a new plan is required regards this,” she said.
In total, 1,074 patients took part in the survey, with 91% rating their care and treatment as “excellent” or “good” – slightly above the Scottish average of 89%.
The survey revealed that patients were happiest with information on how and when to take their medicine and what their medicines were for, as well as the availability of hand gels, together with levels of privacy while being examined and the information available before attending hospital.
The spokeswoman added: “Compared to this year’s results for Scotland, NHS Tayside patients were significantly more likely to report a positive experience in many areas.
“There were no areas where patients were significantly less likely to report a positive experience.