GBH Staff Recognised For Outstanding Efforts During COVID-19 Pandemic

Staff at Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s (MLHD) hospital emergency departments (EDs) have been recognised for their outstanding efforts in the latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) Emergency Department Patient Survey 2021-22.

The survey reflects the ED experiences of 994 patients at Griffith Base Hospital, Deniliquin Hospital, Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and Young Hospital in MLHD from July 2021 to June 2022, which included the Delta and Omicron waves of COVID-19.

MLHD’s Chief Executive, Jill Ludford said the results were a reflection of the exceptional efforts of staff who provided high-quality care while dealing with high demand, additional safety measures and staff furloughing due to COVID-19.

“Overall, the majority of patients (89 per cent) said the care they received in the EDs was ‘very good’ or ‘good’ during this period,” Ms Ludford said.

“A majority (91 per cent) also rated the ED health staff who cared for them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

“Our ED staff are there for our communities around the clock, every day of the year, so it is pleasing to see a majority of patients (82 per cent) say that staff were ‘always’ kind and caring and 86 per cent say they were ‘always’ treated with respect and dignity.”

More than eight in 10 patients (86 per cent) rated how well ED health professionals worked together as a team as ‘very good’ or ‘good’ and more than eight in 10 patients (85 per cent) said ED staff checked in with them while they were waiting to be treated.

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 and treated.

Ms Ludford said the District welcomed the opportunity to hear from patients, their families and carers about their hospital experiences as feedback was used to inform and enhance patient care.

“We want to thank all our patients who took the time to complete the survey,” Ms Ludford said.

“We value their responses and will use this information to develop new ways to care for our patients and better ways to communicate with them.”

Patient survey results can be viewed on the Bureau Health Information website here.

Griffith Base Hospital highlights include:

• The majority of patients (84 per cent) said they received ‘very good’ or ‘good’ care in the ED;
• The majority (88 per cent) rated the ED health professions caring for them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’; and
• ED staff were always ‘kind and caring towards them, according to 83 per cent of patients;

Griffith Base Hospital scored well ‘above the State average on a number of questions:

• Were you involved, as much as you wanted to be, in decisions about your care and treatment? (Yes, definitely - 72 per cent compared to a NSW average of 64 per cent.)
• If your family member, or someone close to you, wanted to talk to the ED health professionals, did they get the opportunity to do so? (Yes, definitely - 69 per cent compared to a NSW average of 53 per cent.)

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• Health & Wellbeing