Gosford and Wyong Hospitals will each receive two new Patient Experience Officers to provide help and support to patients arriving at Emergency Departments and COVID-19 Testing Clinics.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said the new staff allocation was part of the NSW Government’s award-winning Patient Experience Program.
“This Program is the first of its kind in Australia and aims to create a welcoming and safe environment for everyone,” Crouch said.
“The job of a Patient Experience Officer is to greet patients on arrival, guide them through their care, provide information on where to go, what to expect, and updates on appointment queues.
“Each Patient Experience Officer will receive specific training from the Ministry of Health, Central Coast Local Health District and Service NSW to ensure they are well-qualified to provide this help and support,” Crouch said.
Member of the Legislative Council, Taylor Martin, said the recruitment of new positions was already underway.
“The Patient Experience Program was shown to be a success at the pilot sites and it is great that it is being extended to the Central Coast as we continue to combat COVID-19,” Martin said.
“These new positions form just a small part of the NSW Government’s $800M investment to support the public health system during COVID-19,” Martin said.
As part of the Patient Experience Program, patients receive: Access to free Wi-Fi, mobile phone charging stations, additional power points, water and other refreshments; Information sent to their mobile device about what to expect during their stay; Fact sheets on their particular condition/treatment options; and ongoing care instructions after discharge.
Source:
Press release, May 28
Ben Sheath, Office of Adam Crouch MP