Torres and Cape York Integrated Ear, Nose and Throat Service - Sustainable specialist care on Country

The TCHHS ENT program adopts a generalist model of integrated specialist level care. This model allows our team to address the inequitable distribution of specialist level Ear, Nose and Throat services through remote Queensland, whilst also clinically supporting understaffed and under resourced primary health care centres. TCHHS ENT 2022:

• Referrals received: 445
• Occasions of Service provided: 1300+
• Communities served: 32
• Surgical Procedures performed Locally: 54
• 94% of care kept locally and provided on country (i.e % of patient care prevented from being referred onwards to tertiary referral centres)

Patient service satisfaction: (Check up Patient Reported Experience Measures Report)

• 89% of patients surveyed felt very safe with staff
• 89% of patients surveyed felt very respected by staff
• 89% of patients surveyed felt their emotional needs were completely looked after (eg: having family or people they knew travel with them)
• 89% of patients surveyed said their treatment was properly explained so they completely understood what was happening
• 89% of patients surveyed always felt included in decision-making about their treatment
• 100% of patients surveyed felt completely comfortable telling the staff about their health information
• 100% of patients surveyed would be likely to recommend this surgery service to family or friends