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The waiting area

Posted By Not happy 66

"The waiting area"

About: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital / Orthopaedic Surgery

(as a relative),

I recently took my elderly parent to E Block at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for a follow-up appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon after a hip replacement operation a few weeks ago. 

I’ve got to say, I found that the E Block waiting area is the most de-humanising space I’ve ever been to. I recall there were rows of people sitting in a completely bland environment, no TV on, no music, no magazines or newspapers, no stimulation what so ever. 

There was a poster telling us the appointment might be 2 hours late and to be patient. Are you kidding me??!! Two hours??!! I feel this is an outrageous situation to subject people to. Why is our time seemingly not valued?? In my opinion, an hour is barely reasonable but 2 hours?! Another poster warned us not to get angry at staff. As I understand it, what a toxic environment it must be if you have to tell people this. Perhaps there are things you can do to make the area more welcoming and comfortable. 

How about offering stimulating things to read rather than seemingly obnoxious posters. And actually turning on the TV. Or I feel if I’m going to sit there for 2 hours, give me a bench to sit at so I can bring my laptop and do some work. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money but I feel it should make people feel more comfortable rather than, as I believe, like sheep waiting in a sale yard. 

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Responses

Response from Jodi Graham, Executive Director, Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group 9 months ago
We are preparing to make a change
Jodi Graham
Executive Director,
Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group

Submitted on 20/07/2023 at 11:05 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 11:51 AM

picture of Jodi Graham

Dear Not Happy 66,

I would like to extend my sincere apologies for the experience you had in our outpatient waiting room. It saddens me to read that you found the waiting area to be de-humanising and lacking in stimulation.

Our staff are very committed to ensuring a comfortable and positive environment for all patients and we appreciate how valuable feedback, such as what you have provided, is in assisting us with improving the patient experience.

We appreciate that our patients time is valuable, and I do apologise if the posters advising of 2 hour wait times made you feel otherwise. We will undertake a full review of all posters displayed in our waiting rooms and ensure that any assessed as being un-necessary will be removed or replaced as appropriate.

Additional improvements we are currently in the process of implementing include; replacing the televisions within the waiting rooms and looking into options to have positive and informative displays on the television screens and liaising with Volunteer groups to explore the option of reimplementing a tea and coffee cart in our waiting rooms.

I hope the next time you visit the SCGH outpatient department that these improvements have been implemented and your experience with the waiting room is more positive.

I thank you for taking the time to provide us with your valuable feedback and I hope your elderly parent is doing well following their operation.

Warm regards

Jodi Graham

Executive Director, SCGOPHCG

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