THERE has been a 160 per cent increase in the number of complaints made by patients receiving treatment from Morecambe Bay Health Authority over the last four years.

The record total of 561 complaints for this year, 2000/2001, included concerns expressed about inadequate care, staff attitudes, hospital food and waiting times.

Health chiefs have admitted the figures are "disappointing" but said they were in line with the national averages.

At a health authority meeting on Wednesday, it was explained that the rising figures were due to higher public expectations about the NHS and a policy of encouraging patients to make comments about their standard of treatment.

A NHS spokesman said: "We always welcome comments from patients and we realise that sometimes it is the only way that something that is out of place will come to our attention. What in one person's mind is room for complaint is a minor irritation for someone else."

In 1997/1998 there were just 215 complaints lodged about hospital services in Morecambe Bay. The latest figures show that the biggest area of complaint concerns inadequate care.

The health spokesman added: "We take every complaint seriously and we recognise that each one needs to be investigated."