Less than half of NHS staff would be happy patients in their own hospitals, a damning study has revealed.

A survey of 424 employees at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals' Trust, which manages the Royal Sussex County in Brighton and the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath, found only 27 per cent agreed with the statement: "As a patient of this trust, I would be happy with the standard of care provided."

A worrying 40 per cent disagreed with the statement and 33 per cent remained undecided.

The trust's director of human resources admitted the findings were "disappointing" but pointed out that in a recent patient survey 95 per cent of people who had been treated at their hospitals rated their overall care as excellent.

Opposition politicians said the Healthcare Commission study proved that job cuts and soaring deficits had left NHS staff morale at an all-time low.

The same question was also put to 476 staff at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals' Trust - which manages Worthing Hospital - and only 38 per cent agreed. Similarly, only 36 per cent of 341 staff at East Sussex Hospitals' Trust, which manages Eastbourne District General and Hastings Conquest hospitals, would be happy to be treated by their colleagues.

But the miserable trend was bucked by staff at Royal West Sussex Trust, which manages St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, where 62 per cent said they would be satisfied with treatment.

Trust chief executive, Andrew Liles, said: "Staff at St Richard's are proud of the care they provide."

Charles Allen, director of human resources at the Brighton trust, said: "The low score in this area may reflect the fact that this has been a particularly challenging year for our staff."

Tory health spokesman Andrew Lansley said: "It does little for patient confidence if staff do not wish to be treated in the hospital where they work."

Dr Jonathan Boyce, of the Healthcare Commission, said the varying results deserved further analysis.