Most happy with our emergency departments

Emergency departments at Gosford and Wyong hospitals have come in for quite a bit of criticism in recent years, but latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) survey results show a high level of satisfaction with the service.

More than 1,200 people who attended Central Coast emergency departments completed the survey between July 2021 and June 2022, with 88 per cent rating the care they received as very good or good. Ninety per cent also said they would rate the emergency department 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 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,” 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, McLachlan said.

“During busy times, those with less urgent conditions will experience longer wait times when there are high numbers of seriously unwell patients being prioritised,” he said.

He said the District has implemented a number of strategies to improve the timeliness of care for patients, including: active recruitment campaigns to bolster the workforce; where appropriate, actively working to support patient discharges earlier in the day; and 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.

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,” he said.

“They are a consistent point of contact and are available to answer any enquiries or address any concerns that may arise.

“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