Food quality and lack of parking have been exposed as the major complaints patients have about Tauranga Hospital.
A new Ministry of Health report on district health boards has revealed that Tauranga and Whakatane rated below the national average of 89 per cent for patient satisfaction.
Patients were asked survey questions on a range of hospital services from staff performance to food quality.
The report ranked 21 boards throughout New Zealand in categories such as how satisfied patients were, how quickly emergency department staff responded to patients, and how many workplace accidents occurred. It was carried out between October to December 2006.
Bay of Plenty health board chief operating officer Graham Dyer said the biggest complaints from patients were about parking difficulties and food served during their stay.
He said few complaints were about medical treatment received in hospital.
"We receive about 12 complaints per year through the Health and Disability Commission. This represents one complaint per 22,500 patient contacts."
Mr Dyer said at Tauranga Hospital, reduced parking availability was mainly due to the Project Leo redevelopment, which meant many parking areas were blocked off during construction.
He said the redevelopment included plans to create almost 200 extra car parks within the next two years, which he said should help alleviate the parking problem.
Mr Dyer also said the contract to supply catering services at Tauranga hospital was currently being reviewed.
"We expect to see changes to the food served to patients in the future, including menu choices and food delivered by catering assistants rather than nurses," he said.
Both Tauranga and Whakatane Hospitals rated 100 per cent for triage 1 times, where patients require immediate treatment, and rated above the national average of 65 per cent for triage 2 where patients are expected to be seen within 10 minutes of entering an emergency department.
The Bay's health board were below the average for triage 3 emergency service rates - the least serious emergency level. According to the report, triage 3 patients must be seen by a health professional within 30 minutes of entering the emergency department.
The benchmark report also showed the Bay's DHB had the second highest rate of workplace injuries. Only Midcentral District Health recorded more work place accidents and illnesses.
Health board communications manager Carol Wollaston said about 85 per cent of injuries at both Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals were due to staff moving patients.
She said many injuries were back related and caused by pushing beds or lifting.
Ms Wollaston said the high number had led the health board to look closely at the issue and, as a result, it has spent about $50,000 on new equipment and training to prevent injuries to staff.
"We looked at our injury rate to see what we could do about it. We have hired two trainers and it has made a huge difference," she said.
Food and parking rile city hospital patients
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