Volume Ten 2015 Health

NSW Health, on average, met the emergency department triage response time targets across all triage categories in 2014-15 for the second consecutive year. However, fewer health entities met all triage targets in 2014-15, according to a report released today by the New South Wales Acting Auditor-General, Tony Whitfield. 
 
'Eight of the fifteen local health districts met all triage targets in 2014-15 compared to eleven in the prior year', said the Acting Auditor-General.
 
NSW Health improved its emergency department treatment performance in 2014-15, but did not achieve its target of 81 per cent of patients being admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours of presenting. In 2014-15, the State average was 74.3 per cent compared to 73.9 per cent in 2013-14. Only five local health districts achieved the 81 per cent target in 2014-15.
 
These are some of the findings the Acting Auditor-General reported in the Volume Ten 2015 Report to Parliament, covering entities in the NSW public health sector.
 
Financial reporting continues to improve

Health entities continued to improve the quality of financial reporting. Mistatements identified during the audits fell for the past three years from 207 in 2012-13 to 49 in 2014-15.
 
Workforce management issues need greater focus

The number of employees taking no annual leave during the financial year is increasing. Health entities are also not effectively managing employee annual leave balances as more than a third of the workforce have excessive leave balances.
 
A local health district identified unrecorded annual leave for staff specialists dating back six years. One staff specialist had not recorded 20 weeks of annual leave taken dating back to 2009. Shortcomings in processes over the approval and recording of time worked by staff specialists contributed to the problem.
 
Managing conflicts of interest should be reviewed

Some health entities are not capturing conflicts of interest associated with staff secondary employment or relationships with suppliers.
 
'Health entities need to review how they manage conflicts of interest', said the Acting Auditor-General.
 
NSW Ambulance response times worsen and remain above the national average 

The average ambulance response time for potentially life threatening cases in New South Wales rose to its highest level in five years. It increased from 10.8 minutes in 2013-14 to 11.2 minutes in 2014-15 and remains above the national average.
 
Further Information

Please contact Barry Underwood on 9275 7220 or 0403 073 664; email barry.underwood@audit.nsw.gov.au