PATIENTS' experiences at Southampton's A&E department improved last year despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 369 patients surveyed by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust gave an average overall experience score of 8.4 out of 10.

This was a slight improvement on the grade of 8.2 it received when the survey was last conducted in 2018.

Across England, 81 per cent of respondents said they were treated with respect and dignity in A&E all of the time – up from 79 per cent in 2018.

University Hospital Southampton Trust received an average score of 9.3 out of 10 on this matter, up from nine two years previously.

And patients gave it a mark of 9.2 for its cleanliness, which was above the national average of nine.

A third of patients nationally gave their overall experience a perfect score – up from 27 per cent in 2016 and 29 per cent in 2018.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, added: "This is testament to the dedication and professionalism of frontline staff who strive to deliver care in the most challenging of circumstances.

"We are also pleased to hear that the biggest positive change in this year's survey findings was in people's perceptions of cleanliness within A&E departments."