Consumer feedback

Patient-centred care is a key priority area across the NSW public health system. Feedback from consumers, their families and carers about their health care experiences is encouraged and provides health services with an opportunity to monitor and improve services provided across NSW Health. Elevating the Human Experience: Our guide to action for patient, family, carer and caregiver experiences outlines how NSW Health will improve the human experience in the NSW public health system to transform health services into a human-centred health system.

By focusing on the way staff partner with patients and acknowledging the powerful voice of consumers, NSW Health will set new standards for excellence in human experiences - for every person, every time. The CEC's Person Centred Care program was established to work with local health districts to support the inclusion of patients and family as care team members, improve consumer engagement, and promote safety and quality in health care.

Encouraging staff to work together with patients and families when providing care improves communication and results in a better experience of care.

In line with NSW Health's Complaint Management Policy Directive PD2020_013, consumer feedback received by patients, their families/carers or relatives/visitors are recorded in ims+. Consumer feedback includes complaints, compliments and observations/suggestions.

Health services can receive consumer feedback in several ways including, in person, by telephone, online, or by letter/email. Staff can also submit feedback directly received on behalf of patients, carers, relatives or visitors. Consumer feedback provides evidence that can be used to improve healthcare services aligned to the NSW Health Core Values and ultimately, improve the experience and outcome for the people of NSW.

Complaints, allegations or grievances made by staff about other staff members are not recorded as Consumer Feedback. Any incident or injury affecting a staff member is entered separately as a worker specific incident. An overview of the complaints management process is provided below.

NSW Health Complaints Management

Source: NSW Health Complaints Management PD2020_013

Analysing data on patient experiences improves the ability of health care organisations to detect system-wide problems in care. Improvement programs can be implemented locally and across NSW to address issues identified through the range of feedback received by health services.

This report is informed by consumer feedback received and managed through ims+. Data from St Vincent’s Health Network (SVHN) are included in overall figures only. It is important to note that due to the differences in the classification of complaints and their resolution, data contained within this report cannot be compared to data provided in reports prior to 2021.

During the July – December 2021 reporting period, 13,938 consumer feedback reports were reported by patients, their families or carers. This is in line with the number of consumer feedback reports received in the previous six months (13,952).

Types of Consumer feedback received

Staff can notify consumer feedback that is received on behalf of patients, visitors or relatives. At the time feedback is received, notifiers can select the most significant type of feedback that is being reported, whether it is:

  • a complaint about services received
  • a suggestion or observation of what could be improved upon or
  • a compliment about the service/treatment received from a health care team or an individual staff member.

During the reporting period July – December 2021, complaints were the most common type of feedback received (67 per cent) followed by compliments (30 per cent) and suggestions or observations (3 per cent).

Figure 19.

Figure 19 - Consumer feedback by type

Consumer feedback data obtained from NSW public hospitals and St Vincent's Health Network. Excludes private hospitals. *Category includes ideas submitted.

Method of contact

Consumer feedback, which incorporates complaints, compliments and suggestions or observations can be received by health services in a number of ways;

The method of contact is confirmed at the time feedback is received by the health service. Across the July – December 2021 reporting period consumer feedback were communicated by letter/email (59 per cent), by telephone (29 per cent) and in person (8 per cent). A small number were received via the NSW Health Portal (4 per cent).

Figure 20.

Figure 20 - Consumer feedback by method of contact

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response.

Requested outcome by Consumer/Carer

The outcome requested by the consumer or carer is captured during the complaints management process. It is important to note that more than one option can be selected, and the field is not mandatory for completion.

Overall, during the July – December 2021 period, the most requested outcomes related to receiving an explanation, an action to prevent a recurrence and receiving an apology from the health service.

Figure 21 below provides a breakdown by outcomes requested by the consumer and/or patient or their carer.

Figure 21.

Figure 21 - Top 5 Requested Outcomes

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.

Final mechanism of resolution

Each consumer feedback record captures the outcome of each consumer feedback that was received. This may or may not correlate with the outcome that was requested by the consumer or carer. The most common forms of consumer feedback resolution during the reporting period include: providing an apology or explanation to the patient or carer and the health service undertaking further discussions with patients and their carers.

Figure 22 below provides a breakdown by outcomes requested by the consumer and/or patient or their carer.

Figure 22.

Figure 22 - Top 5 Final Resolution Method

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.

Complaints received

Complaints received by health services can identify the consumer’s or carer’s concerns regarding care delivery. The complaint issue identifies the consumer’s concerns regarding care delivery issues experienced. More than one option can be selected.

Issues identified in consumer feedback reports were consistent across complaints and compliments received.

Clinical Care, Treatment and Safety, (34 per cent) and Communication (30 per cent) were the most frequently reported complaint issues for this reporting period.

Figure 23.

Figure 23 - Complaints by issue

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.

Each identified issue can be further broken down to identify specifics around the issues and type of care received. The main elements for consumer/carer complaints during July – December 2021 are shown in the figure below:

Figure 24.

Figure 24 - Complaints by Top 5 Elements

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.

Compliments received

In line with complaints, compliments received by health services can identify specific issues regarding care delivery received by patients. More than one option can be selected within a single compliment received.

During the reporting period, consumers/carers provided compliments to health services in relation to their clinical care, treatment and safety (83 per cent) and for the communication they received (12 per cent).

Figure 25.

Figure 25 - Compliments by issue

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.

Each compliment can be further broken down to identify specifics around the issues and type of care received. The top elements identified in compliments received during July – December 2021 related to the coordination of patient care, the attitude and conduct of a clinician or team providing patient care.

Figure 26.

Figure 26 - Compliments by Top 2 Elements

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.

Suggestions and observations received

Consumers and their carers can provide their suggestions and observations on the treatment/care received. A summary of identified issues and elements are provided below.

Figure 27.

Figure 27 - Suggestion or Observation

Includes Consumer Feedback records that contained a response. Note one or more options can be selected within a single consumer feedback report. This field is not mandatory for completion.