Figures from the Bureau of Health Information (BHI), found that 15 per cent visitors to Auburn Hospital’s emergency department felt threatened by other patients or visitors, nearly double the NSW figure.
According to the BHI figures, only 58 per cent of Auburn ED patients were likely to speak highly of their experience to family and friends, compared with 70 per cent statewide.
BHI Chief Executive, Dr Diane Watson said most patients provided positive ratings of their experiences of care in the 82 EDs included in the Emergency Department Patient Survey from 2017-2018.
“Overall, almost nine in 10 respondents to our survey rated their care in EDs as very good or good,” she said.
However Shadow Minister for Health, Walt Secord, said the State Government averaged the data to cover-up inadequacies in Western Sydney and labelled BHI statements as a “whitewash”.
“A proper analysis of the data showed that Western Sydney and Southwest Sydney emergency departments were ‘significantly less favourable than NSW’ average,” he said.
“Patients wait at every stage in the NSW health and hospital system.
“They wait for an ambulance; they wait in the emergency department; they wait for a hospital bed and then they are discharged too early to make way for other patients.
“Anyone with direct experience of the health and hospital system in NSW, would dispute the claims by the Berejiklian Government.”
Most don’t feel safe in hospital casualty
AS if needing urgent medical care isn’t stressful enough, some visitors to Auburn Hospital also say they’ve not felt safe during their trip to the Emergency Department (ED).
