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National patient experience survey: Results for patients treated in February 2018

1 May 2018

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.
  • Results can be downloaded as a PDF by clicking the top right 'Download Workbook' button on this page.

Key findings

  • National results for the four domains (communication, partnership, coordination, and physical and emotional needs) have remained broadly consistent across all 15 survey rounds.
  • There was little variation between district health boards (DHBs).
  • The national response rate increased to around 26 percent compared with 23 percent previously.
  • We have undertaken weighting, as before, in line with the methodology and procedure document: methodology and procedure document.
  • Note: In the national results webpage, we display run charts to monitor statistically significant trends. Figures 1, 2, 3 and Table 1 have run charts. The run chart for Table 1 allows the user to select DHB.

National results

National scores have started to change in quarter 1, 2018 after remaining consistent since quarter 2, 2015. Scores for the communication, coordination and physical and emotional needs domains decreased significantly with scores of 8.2, 8.2 and 8.5 respectively, compared with quarter 4, 2017. These decreases are not universal across the DHBs. Considering that in quarter 4, 2017 all domains increased, it is too early to say this is a significant shift. We will monitor closely this change over the coming quarters.

Figure 1: National average scores for the four domains, 2014–18

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

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

Figure 2: Highest-rating questions of the four domains, 2014–18

Figure 3: Lowest-rating questions of the four domains, 2014–18

Table 1: Score of four domains by DHB, 2014–18

*Wairarapa DHB was not reported this quarter due to major internal IT changes.

Response rates

The national response rate increased to around 26 percent, up from 23 percent in the last quarter.

Figure 4 shows the breakdown of response rates by survey distribution method. Response rates for surveys invited via email and SMS have increased to 30 and 18 percent, respectively. Response rates for surveys invited via post increased from around 32 percent to 39 percent. Postal surveys have a high processing cost, so we encourage DHBs to undertake surveys via email or SMS where possible.

Figure 4: Response rates by survey distribution type, 2014–18

Response rates per DHB varied from 17 percent to 40 percent (see Table 1). Four DHBs achieved a 30 percent response rate or above in the current survey round. Wairarapa DHB was not reported this quarter due to major internal IT changes.

DHBs are required to have at least 30 responses for results to be meaningful. West Coast DHB did not meet this requirement. (See also Appendix 1 for per-DHB scores for each of the four domains.)

Table 2: Representativeness by DHB, February 2018

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 Māori, Pacific and Asian ethnic groups. Table 2 gives a demographic breakdown of respondents.

Table 3: Representativeness by demographic group, February 2018


Published: 1 May 2018 Modified: 12 Apr 2023