Health Quality Intelligence

Individual district health board (DHB) results compared with New Zealand average

Individual DHB survey results are displayed using interactive Tableau charts. If they do not display correctly or you have trouble reading the results, please contact Ying Li. If this is your first time using Tableau, please read the instructions below before proceeding.

Using the interactive charts (below) to read patient experience survey results

• Use the drop-down box on the homepage below to access a list of DHBs.
• Select your DHB, keeping New Zealand as the second option – do not use the drop-down box to compare DHBs.
• Use the tabs along the top to navigate through each domain.
• Return to the homepage to select a different DHB to compare against the New Zealand average.

Key findings

• National results for the four domains (communication, partnership, coordination, and physical and emotional needs) have remained broadly consistent across all 22 survey rounds.
• There was little variation between district health boards (DHBs).
• The national response rate was consistent with previous rounds at 22 percent. We have undertaken weighting, as before, in line with the methodology and procedure document (1.37MB, PDF).
• Note: on the national results webpage, we display run charts to monitor statistically significant trends. Figures 1–4 have run charts. The run chart for Figure 4 allows the user to select a DHB.

National results

Compared with quarter 3, 2019, scores for quarter 4, 2019 remained consistent for all domains.

Figure 1: Run chart of the national average scores for the four domains, 2014–19

The physical and emotional needs domain rated the highest in all survey rounds. It includes the ‘humanitarian’ questions shown in Figure 2, which continuously score highest.

As the Figure 2 run chart shows, the scores for the question ‘Overall, did you feel staff treated you with kindness and understanding while you were in the hospital?’ have improved significantly since quarter 2, 2018. The median has increased from 85.3 percent to 86.1 percent.

Figure 2: Run chart of the highest-rating questions of the four domains, 2014–19 (percent of patients answering most positively)

The three questions shown in Figure 3 continuously scored lowest of all survey questions.

As the Figure 3 run chart shows, the scores for the question ‘Did a member of staff tell you about medication side effects to watch for when you went home?’ have improved significantly since quarter 4, 2017. The median has increased from 47.5 percent to 50.1 percent.

The scores for the question ‘Did the hospital staff include your family/whānau or someone close to you in discussions about your care?’ have improved significantly since quarter 1, 2017. The median has increased from 55.2 percent to 58.6 percent.

The scores for the question ‘Do you feel you received enough information from the hospital on how to manage your condition after your discharge?’ have also improved since quarter 2, 2016. The median has increased from 59.5 percent to 61.1 percent. Apart from quarter 1, 2018, this increase has been sustained.

Figure 3: Run chart of the lowest-rating questions of the four domains, 2014–19 (percent of patients answering most positively)

Figure 4: Scores for all domains by DHB, 2014–19

Response rates

The national response rate was consistent with previous survey rounds at 24 percent.

Figure 5 shows the breakdown of response rates by survey distribution method. Postal surveys have a high processing cost, so we encourage DHBs to undertake surveys via email or SMS where possible.

Figure 5: Response rates by survey distribution type, 2014–19

Response rates per DHB varied from 14 percent to 35 percent (see Table 1). Five DHBs achieved a 30 percent response rate or above in the current survey round. DHBs are required to have at least 30 responses for results to be meaningful.

Table 1: Response rates by DHB (%), 2014–19

Representation of respondents

Nationally, respondents were reasonably representative of all ages and genders.

The under-representation of people continued for people in the 15–24, 25–44 and 85+ age groups and for people in the Māori, Pacific peoples and Asian ethnic groups. Table 2 gives a demographic breakdown of respondents.

Table 2: Representativeness by demographic group, November 2019

Downloadable attachments

National patient experience survey: Results for patients treated in November 2019 (862 KB, PDF).

Last updated 01/04/2020