Patient Survey FAQs

The NSW Patient Survey Program gathers information from patients across NSW about their experience with services in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The Bureau of Health Information (BHI), working with Ipsos Public Affairs, manages the survey program on behalf of the NSW Ministry of Health and local health districts.

You can find more information about the program on the Surveys section of our site.

BHI is a board-governed organisation that publishes independent reports and data about the performance of the healthcare system in NSW.

We do this so government, the community and healthcare professionals can see how well the healthcare system in NSW is functioning and where there are opportunities to improve.

You can find more information about BHI on the About Us section of our site.

Ipsos Public Affairs is part of the Ipsos Group, which was founded in 1975 and specialises in conducting public opinion and attitude research and evaluation. Ipsos is the third largest market and social research agency in the world.

Ipsos is a registered and independent survey organisation and strictly adheres to the Australian Market and Social Research Society's Code of Professional Behaviour. It is independently accredited to the International Standard for Market Opinion and Social Research ISO 20252.

You can find more information about Ipsos on their website

We send surveys to a random selection of people who recently received care in the NSW Health System.

The number of surveys we send out vary depending on the type of survey being conducted and the sample size of patients included in a particular survey. Each survey page on this website provides more detail about how many surveys are sent out.

We use the survey responses to develop reports on different aspects of care for the public, NSW Health and healthcare professionals. These reports provide valuable insight into how well the healthcare system in NSW is functioning and where there are opportunities to improve, and help healthcare professionals and policy makers deliver safe, quality care.

You can explore recent survey results using BHI’s interactive data portal Healthcare Observer. We also publish different reports that analyse aspects of patient survey data.

Your responses will be treated in the strictest confidence and no identifying information will be given to the NSW Ministry of Health, the hospital or health service you attended, your doctor or other health provider unless required by law.

For each question, please use a blue or black pen to mark the box next to the answer you choose, as shown below.

Yes they can, but please ensure the answers given are from your point of view and not the opinion of the person helping you.

If you would like someone to help you complete the survey, you can call the Survey Helpline on 1800 220 936 (Monday to Friday, 9am - 8pm, excluding public holidays).

It is not compulsory to complete the survey. However, if you are sent one, we would appreciate you completing it. Your answers and opinions will help us understand how patients feel about the care they receive.

You have two ways to opt-out of mailings:

1. Return the blank questionnaire in the reply paid envelope provided
2. Call the Survey Helpline on 1800 220 936 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 8pm, excluding public holidays).

If you do not opt-out, you may receive up to two automatic reminders.

Please try to answer every question that applies to you. If you can’t answer a particular question, please leave it blank and move onto the next question. In some places, the questionnaire will instruct you to move past questions that don’t apply to you.

If you make a mistake or want to change your response, simply cross out the error and mark the correct box as shown here: 

You should refer to your most recent hospital stay during the month listed on the survey cover letter.

Yes, you can contact the Health Care Interpreter Service on 1800 674 994 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5pm, excluding public holidays). A translation sheet is available here.

If you have any questions about completing the survey, you can call the Survey Helpline on 1800 220 936 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 8pm, excluding public holidays).

To return your completed survey, firstly remove the covering letter by tearing along the perforated line, then place the completed survey in the ‘Reply Paid’ envelope and post it. You do not need a stamp.

If you have misplaced the ‘Reply Paid’ envelope, just use a plain envelope – no stamp necessary, and address to:

NSW Patient Survey Program
c/o Ipsos Australia Pty Ltd
Reply Paid 84599
Hawthorn VIC 3122

Thank you for returning your survey. Occasionally a reminder letter will be sent before we can process survey responses. We apologise for any inconvenience.

We’d appreciate it if you could complete and return the survey as quickly as possible. Don’t worry if you forget - we’ll send you two reminder letters over the next few weeks.

Yes, you can complete the survey online in about 15 minutes. You’ll need to use the username and password included in the survey cover letter to proceed.

We'll send you two reminder letters over the coming weeks that contain your username and password. Alternatively, if you’d prefer complete the survey now, you can complete the paper version.

The survey is sent to a random selection of people so unfortunately we can’t accommodate individual requests.

If you’d like to provide feedback on your hospital or healthcare organisation, it’s best to contact them directly. Alternatively, you can get more information about your options from NSW Health.

Your personal details are protected by the Health Records and Information Privacy Act (2002) which includes a number of safeguards to protect your identity.

For more information on privacy protection, please see our Privacy Statement.