NSW hospital patients’ 2025 survey results

MOST patients surveyed about their experiences in NSW public hospitals have given positive feedback, although the latest results also point to areas where patients believe care could improve.

The Bureau of Health Information’s 2025 Adult Admitted Patient Survey captured the experiences of 22,100 patients who received care at 84 NSW public hospitals between January and December last year.

Overall, 92 percent of respondents rated their hospital experience as either ‘very good’ or ‘good’, while 80 per cent said they believed they had definitely received safe, high-quality care.

BHI Chief Executive Adjunct Professor Heiko Spallek said the results showed patients continued to report positive experiences despite pressure on the public health system.

“Most patients continue to report positive experiences despite ongoing pressures on the healthcare system,” Professor Spallek said.

For patients and their families, organisation and communication appear to be particularly important.

The proportion of patients who said they received a document summarising their hospital care, such as a discharge summary or letter to their GP, increased from 81 percent in 2024 to 83 percent in 2025.

There was also an increase in patients describing their hospital care as ‘very well organised’, rising from 66 to 68 per cent.

The survey found organisation could have a significant effect on how patients viewed their overall experience.

Among the group of respondents who reported poorer experiences, patients were substantially more likely to rate their overall care negatively when they felt their care had not been well-organised.

Waiting times remain another issue for patients undergoing planned procedures.

Of the 1,486 patients surveyed about planned surgery or procedures, 44 per cent said they would have been willing to attend another hospital if doing so meant a shorter wait.

The survey also highlights differences in experiences between patient groups.

While 84 per cent of Aboriginal patients rated their overall hospital care as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, the report identified continuing differences around being treated with respect and dignity and having cultural and religious beliefs respected.

Support from an Aboriginal health worker was associated with more positive experiences, with 80 per cent of Aboriginal patients who received that support saying they definitely received safe, high-quality care, compared with 68 per cent who did not.

Rural patients also continued to report slightly more positive experiences overall than their urban counterparts, with 71 per cent rating their care as ‘very good’, compared with 68 per cent of urban patients.

The full survey includes results broken down by local health districts and individual hospitals, giving communities the opportunity to see how their local services compare.

The detailed results are available through the Bureau of Health Information.