The report, released by the Bureau of Health Information (BHI), was based on the responses of more than 12,000 Aboriginal people who provided feedback on their hospital care in NSW between 2019 and 2024.

Feedback ‘important’ to drive improvement

“Evidence tells us if people have better experiences as patients, particularly around feeling respected, involved in decisions about their care, they have better outcomes too.”

There was also an improvement in the proportion of patients who felt they had been unfairly treated by hospital staff, with 6 per cent reporting cases of unfair treatment in their 2024 surveys, down from 8 per cent in 2023.

Aboriginal health workers associated with higher care ratings

“What they told us … is that they had a better overall experience in hospital when they felt their care was really well organised and the healthcare workers, doctors and nurses were kind and worked really well together,” she said.