Health care is ‘brilliant’

A Waikiki great-grandmother has commended staff at Rockingham General Hospital on the excellent care she received during a three-week stay.

Edith Staven, who has emphysema, said she called an ambulance after experiencing breathing difficulties in October.

Mrs Staven said her positive experience with Rockingham General Hospital began with the attentive paramedics who initially treated her, and continued with friendly doctors, helpful nurses and “smiley” tea ladies, orderlies and other support staff.

“Rockingham really must be the best hospital in WA, I am sure of it,” she said.

“The nurses and doctors were just brilliant — everyone was smiling and said ‘good morning’ when they came into the room, even if it was just to give us some water or some tea.

“I get a little bit teary talking about it because it was just so nice — everyone really took a genuine interest in me and the other patients.”

Executive director Geraldine Carlton said the hospital strived to meet patients’ expectations and was committed to providing safe, quality health care.

“As a hospital servicing the needs of the local community, we strive to meet our patients’ expectations and I am very proud of all our staff, from catering to nursing and medical, when I hear that our level of care and service has done just that,” she said.

“As part of our commitment to provide safe, quality health care, we welcome all feedback about our health service and the care we provide.”

Mrs Staven said she was particularly impressed with the quality of the food provided, albeit she was too sick with pneumonia to eat for the first week of her stay, and praised catering and kitchen staff members.

She said twice daily hot meals were varied and always served piping hot, and snacks were fresh and tasty.

“They well and truly fixed me up and I feel so much better,” she said.