3rd Annual Patient Survey Underway

The 3rd annual statewide patient survey in NSW was launched today with over 200,000 surveys posted to people who experienced public health care services in February 2009. The survey is sent to a random, representative sample of patients who received inpatient, emergency or outpatient services.

"I encourage those who receive a survey to complete and return it so the experience of patients and their carers can help improve our health services," said Tony Penna, Chief Executive of The Children's Hospital at Westmead.

"The Children's Hospital at Westmead is committed to using the results of the state wide patient survey and the other feedback we regularly obtain from children, young people and their families about their care and working with them and staff to continually improve services at the Hospital," he said.

The survey measures patient experience in 8 areas:

• Access to care
• Respect for patients' values, preferences and expressed needs
• Coordination and integration of care
• Information and education
• Transition and continuity
• Physical comfort
• Emotional support
• Involvement of family and friends

In last year's survey, 3774 questionnaires were sent out and 1446 were returned, for a response rate of 39.55%, higher than the previous year. Patients, parents or carers of patients at The Children's Hospital at Westmead rated overall care as good, very good or excellent in 88.6% of cases, and performed best in overall care for outpatients with 95.4%.

Results for overall care and advocacy are comparable with the NSW state average and with our peer group, the other state children's hospitals.

The Children's Hospital at Westmead is highly respected and is the largest paediatric centre in NSW, providing excellent care for children from NSW, Australia and across the Pacific Rim.

Established in 1880, The Children's Hospital at Westmead is a stand-alone public Hospital and registered charity with 3,000 staff working in 150 departments. Over 50,000 sick children and their families are cared for each year in a family-focused, healing environment.

Funded by the NSW Government, The Children's Hospital at Westmead provides significant extra services aided by the generosity of individual and corporate donors. For more information visit www.chw.edu.au