Hon Jo Goodhew

Associate Minister of Health

26 August 2014

Media Statement
Hospital patients urged to give feedback

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew is urging hospital patients to take part in a new survey asking them for feedback on their health care.

“Invitations to take part in the first of a new series of surveys will be sent today to 7500 people across New Zealand who spent at least one night in hospital from 4 to17 August 2014,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“I encourage people to fill in the survey, which is an important way of improving the quality of hospital care and understanding how well health services are working for patients and their families.

“The survey was developed by the Health Quality & Safety Commission, and is the first time hospital patients’ feedback has been collected and measured in the same way across the country.”

“DHBs will send the survey to randomly-selected patients at least once every three months.

“Some DHBs have chosen to add extra questions in addition to the core set of 20 questions to reflect local issues, and some are sending out the survey weekly or fortnightly to gain more information about their health care.”

Responses to the survey will be collated to give each DHB a rating out of 10 in four areas: coordination, partnership, communication, and physical and emotional needs.

Results of the first survey will be available on the Commission’s website in October 2014. Further information can be found at www.hqsc.govt.nz.

Background notes for Editors:

• Invitations to take part in the survey will be sent out by DHBs on 26 August by email, text or letter, depending on patients’ preferred contact method.

• The surveys will be anonymous unless patients choose to provide contact details to enable DHBs to address their specific concerns.

• Patients can fill in the survey online using a computer, tablet or smartphone, or can return the survey by post.

• Auckland, Counties Manukau and Capital & Coast DHBs will send out the survey weekly; Bay of Plenty, Canterbury and South Canterbury DHBs will send it out fortnightly.

• Survey responses will be sent to DHBs in real time, enabling them to deal immediately with issues raised by patients.

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