Adult patients treated at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) hospitals in 2023 reported positive experiences of care with 93 per cent of patients rating their care as 'very good' or 'good'.
The results were revealed in the Bureau of Health Information's 2023 Adult Admitted Patient Survey, which asked patients admitted to hospital about their experiences across a range of important aspects of care.
NBMLHD Chief Executive Lee Gregory welcomed the results of the survey and said they reflect the District's focus of ensuring patients and carers have positive experiences and outcomes that matter.
"These results are a collective team effort, and I want to thank every one of our staff who go above and beyond to provide the highest quality service we can for the local community. I'm proud of them all and the results are well deserved," Lee said.
"I'm delighted to see our District's strong performance in many areas. Feedback is an incredible tool to have and it's great to see the hard work of our staff is translating into positive health outcomes.
"While the District is pleased with its performance in many areas, there's always potential for improvement. The data from this survey will help us identify areas where we can enhance our services and improve the overall patient experience."
The District's dedicated health professionals received very high ratings from their patients. Almost all surveyed patients (97 per cent) rated the nurses who treated them as 'very good' or 'good', and a similarly high proportion (93 per cent) rated the doctors who treated them as 'very good' or 'good'.
Nepean Hospital surveyed patients expressed high levels of satisfaction with the timeliness and coordination of care received. Nine in every ten patients surveyed agreed their treating team worked well together, giving them a 'very good' or 'good' rating - the highest it's been since 2020.
Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital surveyed patients commended the effective communication by staff including the information provided to them about their care. Most patients surveyed felt health professionals explained things about their care, results or surgery in a way that was easy to understand, with clear information also giving them the confidence to manage their care at home once they left hospital.
Lithgow Hospital results improved notably compared to 2022, with the hospital performing significantly higher than the state average across a number of topic areas. More than nine in 10 surveyed patients (94 per cent) said health professionals were 'always' kind and caring, 95 per cent said they were 'always' treated with respect and dignity, and 94 per cent said staff were 'definitely' polite and welcoming on arrival.
