07 November 2008

New data reveals improved performance at Lithgow Hospital

NSW Minister for Health, John Della Bosca, said today that new data reveals Lithgow Hospital has improved its performance in some key areas during the past 12 months.

Mr Della Bosca commended the efforts of clinicians, nurses and other hospital staff in continuing to deliver a great health service to families in the region during a visit there today (7 November).

"The latest data from NSW Health reveals the hospital has improved its triage times which are set by the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine," the Minister said.

"This means more people are being seen sooner once they arrive at the hospital," he said.

In September 2008, the hospital achieved the following triage performance:

• Triage one (life threatening) - 100 per cent (target: 100 per cent of patients seen within two minutes). This compares to 100 per cent for the same period last year.
• Triage two (imminently life threatening) - 87 per cent (target: 80 per cent seen within 10 minutes). This compares with 46 per cent in September 2007.
• Triage three (potentially life threatening) - 74 per cent (target: 75 per cent seen within 30 minutes). This compares with 55 per cent last year.
• Triage four (potentially serious) - 80 per cent (target: 70 per cent seen within 60 minutes). This compares with 78 per cent in 2007.
• Triage five - (less urgent) 95 per cent (target: 70 per cent seen within 120 minutes). This compares with 88 per cent last year.

"These figures are even more outstanding when you consider there was a nine per cent increase in the number of patient admissions through the Emergency Department - 104 in September 2007 compared to 113 in September 2008," Mr Della Bosca said.

"The hospital is also continuing to meet its Emergency Department Admission Performance - the target is 80 per cent and in September they achieved 95 per cent - as well as benchmarks in medical procedures and surgical waiting lists.

"The residents of Lithgow benefit from an integrated health service which consists of a 46 bed public hospital, 14 bed private hospital, 13 bed nursing home, 31 hostel units and a comprehensive community health centre all located on the one campus," the Minister said.

"Services provided include emergency treatment, surgery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, community nursing, palliative care and treatment of alcohol and drugs," Mr Della Bosca said.

"The doctors and nurses at Lithgow are valued members of the health system and the local community, they deserve our upmost support and I will continue to do all I can to see they are supported," the Minister added.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au