LGH - Emergency Department Attendees - Survey

Question without notice to the Government

13 October 2020

Ms ARMITAGE question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

Further to answer provided by the Leader on 23 September 2020 with regard to products and services utilised by the Tasmanian Health Service, would the Leader please advise -

(1) Why a Queensland firm has been utilised to conduct a survey on behalf of the Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department attendees?

(2) Can the Leader please advise the cost of this contract and its term?

ANSWER

Mr President, I thank the member for Launceston for her question.

(1) and (2)

The Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department conducts annual experience and engagement surveys as a mandatory requirement under the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards Action 1.13.

The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards Action 1.13 stipulates the mandatory requirements -

· for health services to have processes to seek regular feedback from patients, carers and families about their experiences and outcomes of care; and

· that health services use this information to improve safety and quality systems.

Benchmarking and comparison to other health services nationally is also a mandatory requirement under the NSQHS standards.

Sourced as part of a quotation process by the THS, the current provider is able to provide benchmarking with other healthcare services to ensure comparison of quality of care and identified specific areas of improvement for dedicated services such as emergency departments.

The minister is advised that if emergency department staff are required to attend to the distribution, collection, collation and reporting of any of these ED surveys, it is estimated it would cost approximately $30 000 to $40 000.

Presently, the emergency department survey cost component per annum is $12 911, excluding GST. This arrangement ensures the LGH ED staffing resources are focused on patient clinical care as much as possible.

Launceston General Hospital - Emergency Department Attendees - Survey

Ms ARMITAGE - Leader, I do not expect the emergency department staff to do the work themselves. I am wondering why a Queensland firm was engaged as opposed to a Tasmanian firm. I will put that further question in writing.