Patients give positive rating

Results from the latest Bureau of Health Information’s Emergency Department Patient Survey 2021-22 show the vast majority of patients rated their care in Gosford and Wyong emergency departments positively.

10 May 2023

 

MORE than 1,200 people who attended Central Coast emergency departments (ED) completed the survey between July 2021 and June 2022.

 

Overall, a majority of patients surveyed (88 per cent) said they would rate the care they received while in the ED as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. A majority (90 per cent) also said they would rate the ED health professionals who treated them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

 

Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said the results were a testament to our local emergency department staff who continued to care for patients and their community during a particularly challenging period.

 

“This survey was undertaken during a time that included the Delta and Omicron waves of COVID-19, which presented significant challenges to health services across NSW, including increased demand, additional safety measures and high numbers of staff furloughing,” Mr McLachlan said.

 

“Despite these challenges, our staff have continued to provide high-quality, compassionate and respectful care for our patients, and I would like to thank them for their incredible efforts and dedication.

 

“A majority of patients surveyed recognised the dedication of staff, with 89 per cent saying they were ‘always’ treated with respect and dignity and 84 per cent saying they were ‘always’ treated with kindness and care.”

 

Patients in ED are always triaged and seen according to the clinical urgency of their condition. During busy times, those with less urgent conditions will experience longer wait times when there are high numbers of seriously unwell patients being prioritised.

 

The District has implemented a number of strategies to improve the timeliness of care for patients, including:

 

• Active recruitment campaigns to bolster our workforce.

 

• Where appropriate, actively working to support patient discharges earlier in the day, reducing overall length of stay in hospital.

 

• Implementation of new models of care to support patients to receive the right care in the right place earlier. This includes a new medical assessment unit model for Gosford Hospital; Elderly and Frail Connected Care Pathway including inpatient and community models to access specialised staff; and increasing Hospital in the Home services as an alternative to admission.

 

Mr McLachlan said the survey results also demonstrated that a number of initiatives implemented in local emergency departments in the past few years were helping to give patients a more positive experience.

 

“This includes the placement of Patient Experience Officers (PEOs) in our emergency departments who are dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of patients, families and carers, helping them to navigate the emergency department. They are a consistent point of contact and are available to answer any enquiries or address any concerns that may arise,” Mr McLachlan said.

 

“For our Aboriginal community, we have also introduced Aboriginal Liaison Officers to not only support patients and improve their health outcomes but support our staff to provide a culturally safe and respectful space for both patients and staff.

 

“Additionally, we are improving the experience for our patients by providing comfortable seating, clear signage, activities for children and installing a phone charging station. All these things make a difference to the comfort of our patients being cared for in our emergency departments.”