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Triple zero (000) is a free call from any phone, mobile or phone box.

For less severe but still urgent situations, go to an Emergency Department.

There are 12 public hospital Emergency Departments in Northern NSW Local Health District and they are all available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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Patients give high ratings of care in Northern NSW hospitals
Published: 10 Nov 2021

Patients treated at Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) hospitals have given very high ratings of their experiences of care in 2020 according to the Bureau of Health Information’s (BHI) latest Adult Admitted Patient Survey, released today.

The survey asked patients admitted to hospital about their views of care across a broad range of areas. Patients from across NNSWLHD provided positive feedback on the safe, high-quality care they received, with almost all patients (97 per cent) saying the care they received was ‘very good’ or ‘good’ – a two percentage point increase on the previous year.

Nearly all (96 per cent) patients rated the doctors who treated them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. An even higher proportion of patients (97 per cent) rated the nurses who treated them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

NNSWLHD Chief Executive Wayne Jones praised the dedicated health staff in Northern NSW for their continued professionalism and care.

“We all know 2020 was a tough year, coming off the back of local bushfires and flooding. Despite the added pressures, our amazing clinicians and hospital staff continued giving exemplary care,” Mr Jones said.

“I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and dedication to making sure they provide the best patient care. Our team can be really proud of these results,” Mr Jones said.

Once again, the survey showed almost all Northern NSW hospitals were well above the state average in cleanliness, with 85 per cent of patients across NNSWLHD saying the wards or rooms were ‘very clean’, the highest result across all LHDs in the state.

For the third year running, Byron Central Hospital received the highest individual hospital result in the state, with 92 percent of patients saying the wards or rooms were ‘very clean’.

The 2021-22 budget for NNSWLHD is $946 million, an increase of almost $33 million on the previous financial year’s budget.

Between mid-2012 and mid-2021, NNSWLHD increased its workforce by an additional 1,219 full-time equivalent staff - an increase of 32.3 per cent including 211 more doctors, 461 more nurses and midwives, and 141 more allied health staff.

 

INDIVIDUAL HOSPITAL RESULTS

 

BALLINA DISTRICT HOSPITAL: 98 per cent of patients surveyed said the Emergency Department staff were ‘always’ polite and courteous; 97 per cent said the nurses who treated them were ‘very good’ or ‘good’, with 96 per cent saying the same thing about Ballina’s doctors.

 

BYRON CENTRAL HOSPITAL: 92 percent of patients surveyed said the wards or rooms were ‘very clean’, the highest result of any hospital in the state. 98 per cent of said they would rate the nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, with 90 per cent of saying the same thing about Byron’s doctors.

 

CASINO & DISTRICT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: All patients surveyed (100 per cent) rated the nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, with 99 per cent giving the same ratings to doctors. Almost all (98 per cent) said they would rate their overall care at hospital as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

 

GRAFTON BASE HOSPITAL: Almost all patients surveyed (97 per cent) said their treatment by nurses was ‘very good’ or ‘good’; 95 per cent said their treatment from doctors was ‘very good’ or ‘good’. 96 per cent also said they would rate their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. Nine in ten patients (90 per cent) said the wards and rooms were ‘very clean’.

 

LISMORE BASE HOSPITAL: Almost all patients surveyed (98 per cent) rated their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. Almost all (99 per cent) rated their treatment from nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, while 97 per cent said they would rate their care from doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. 90 percent said the wards and bathrooms were ‘very clean’.

 

MACLEAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL: Almost all (96 per cent) of patients surveyed rated their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. 90 per cent said they would rate their doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’; 96 per cent also said they would rate treatment from nurses as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

 

MURWILLUMBAH DISTRICT HOSPITAL: Almost all patients surveyed (97 per cent) said they would rate their overall care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’; 98 per cent also rated their doctors as ‘very good’ or ‘good’ and 98 per cent also said their nurses were ‘very good’ or ‘good’. 90 per cent said ‘they would speak highly’ about their experience if asked by family and friends. 86 per cent of patients rated overall care as ‘very good’ – significantly above NSW result (71 per cent), with 87 per cent saying their care was ‘very well organised’, the top result in the state.

 

THE TWEED HOSPITAL: Almost all patients surveyed (98 per cent) said the rooms and wards were ‘clean’ or ‘very clean’. 95 per cent said their overall care was ‘very good’ or ‘good’; almost all patients (97 per cent) said their doctor was ‘very good’ or ‘good’; with 95 per cent responding that their nurses were ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

 

The BHI Report is available at: https://www.bhi.nsw.gov.au/