Wairarapa Hospital patients get their say

Health Minister Tony Ryall says it will be the first time ranking information will be collected and measured the same way across the whole country.

Wairarapa hospital patients will soon be able to rate their stay when a new national ranking system is rolled out next year.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says it will be the first time this information will be collected and measured the same way across the whole country.

"Patient feedback is a vital indicator of how well health services are working for patients and their families."

Mr Ryall said it will show what is working and what areas could be improved.

"The results will be publicly reported - we have found this to be one of the most effective ways to lift the quality of care in our public hospitals."

However, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation said using "hotel-style" patient ratings is not a reliable way to measure quality healthcare.

High-quality healthcare relies on sustainable funding and adequate staffing, it said.

NZNO industrial adviser Lesley Harry said there were several issues with the new ratings plan.

Nurses working in high-pressure situations, with inadequate staffing and resources, are less likely to be able to provide a good level of care, she said.

"Systemic failures should not result in individual staff being targeted, similarly, a smiley nurse or friendly doctor doesn't necessarily equate with excellent care.

"The money spent on the survey and analysing hotel-style ratings may be better spent on resourcing sufficient staffing levels and professional development."

There are already complaint processes in place, let's not reinvent the wheel, Ms Harry said.

"Hospital services are far too complex to be ranked in the same way as the hospitality industry."

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew said the survey questions are modelled on international best practice.

"It builds on our Open for Better Care campaign which challenges health professionals to be open to acknowledging mistakes and learning from them," she said.

Wairarapa hospital supports the campaign and voluntary satisfaction surveys are sent out monthly.

In a September quality report, results from quarter 3 of this year show most patients, 92.2 per cent, were satisfied. But some patients had complaints.

"I was treated by a young female doctor in ED whose treatment of me left a lot to be desired," said one patient in the High Dependency Unit.

"She appeared to be angry, and she appeared to resent me, she put her face up to mine & shouted in my face continually, her words came out like bullets.

"It was very distressing."

Another patient said the hospital was like Fawlty Towers.

"I was shocked to hear staff arguing between themselves and doctors and to hear them bitching about other wards. It was unprofessional and clearly lack of funding is causing stress.

"If people keep coming from surgery to HDU, still intubated, I fear people will die, a terrible experience altogether."