People can now see how patients rated their local NHS trust on topics including hospital food, cleanliness and levels of privacy after survey results were released.

The Healthcare Commission found wide variations in the experiences of the 76,000 adult patients questioned, with “striking” differences between health service trusts on some areas of patient care.

The biggest variations came in waiting for admission to hospital, mixed-sex wards, help with eating meals and food quality.

At the top of the list for overall level of care was The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital Trust in Shropshire, with a patient score of 91.81.

The Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Cardiothoracic Centre Liverpool NHS Trust were rated second and third best respectively.

Bottom of table was Ealing Hospital NHS Trust in London, with a patient score of 65.06

Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust and Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust also made it into the bottom three.

In the best performing trusts, around 80% of those asked said their room or ward was “very clean”.

But overall fewer than half of patients reported lavatories and bathrooms were very clean, with only 22% reporting clean facilities in the worst performing trusts.

The survey found fewer patients than last year believed doctors and nurses always washed their hands between patients.

At the worst performing trust, a quarter of those asked said they thought doctors did not wash their hands after examinations.

Health Minister Ann Keen said:”These results show that the high standard and quality of care patients can expect is being maintained across the NHS, but we are not complacent.

“We will continue to listen to patients and work on those areas where improvements need to continue.”

Meanwhile, Help the Aged said there were “worryingly low” scores at some trusts for treating patients with dignity and respect.

Policy officer Charlotte Potter said: “These results show the NHS is achieving high levels of patient satisfaction with overall care, but there are unacceptable variations around the country.

“Scores in some trusts were worryingly low when it came to being treated with dignity and respect or receiving help with eating - areas of care particularly important to older people.”

The survey is the fifth carried out since 2002. It covered 76,000 adult patients at 165 acute and specialist NHS trusts in England.