Patients give very high ratings of care at Broken Hill Health Service - BHI Report 2020
Patients treated at Broken Hill Health Service have given very high ratings of their experiences of care at the hospital, with almost all patients (97 per cent) saying the care they received was 'very good' or 'good'.
The Bureau of Health Information's (BHI) 2020 Adult Admitted Patient Survey, released today, asked patients admitted to hospital about their views of care across a broad range of areas and respondents from Far West Local Health District (LHD) provided positive feedback on the safe, high-quality care they received.
The dedicated health professionals at Broken Hill Health Service received very high ratings from their patients, with 98 per cent of patients surveyed rating the nurses who treated them as 'very good' or 'good'. It was the same for the doctors, with 98 per cent of patients providing positive ratings of the doctors who treated them.
More than nine in ten patients (92 per cent) said they were 'always' treated with respect and dignity during their hospital stay and 85 per cent of patients said health professionals 'always' explained things to them in a way they could understand.
Almost all patients (99 per cent) said their care was 'very well' or 'fairly well' organised, and 84 per cent of patients said their family and home situation was 'completely' taken into account when their discharge was being planned.
Overall, results for Broken Hill Health Service improved on 21 measures compared with the result for the 2019 survey.
Ms Sue Betts-Hendy, Director of Nursing Midwifery and Manager of Broken Hill Health Service, said the results in the survey for Far West LHD were very pleasing overall and the health service continued to use feedback from patients in its efforts to improve their experiences of care in the hospital.
'It is vital to listen to patients and learn from what they are telling us. This survey provides a rich source of information about the delivery of healthcare in the hospital and will be valuable in assessing where the health service is performing well and where there is room to improve,' said Ms Betts-Hendy.
'We will use this information as we progressively work to enhance the patient care we provide and ensure all patient experiences are as positive as possible.'
The 2021-22 budget for Far West Local Health District was almost $131.5 million; this is an increase of $4.5 million on the 2020-21 initial budget.
Between mid-2012 and mid-2021, FWLHD increased its workforce by an additional 147 full-time equivalent staff - an increase of 27.5 per cent including 1 more doctor, 53 more nurses and midwives and 18 more allied health staff.