In the first survey of its kind, hospital staff were found to provide above average continuity and service to patients.

They were also shown to be more responsive to the needs of their charges and  provided a greater involvement in patient decisions than other, comparative hospitals.

The survey is published today by the NSW Bureau of Health.

More than 570 patients at Armidale Hospital answered a series of questions aimed at evaluating and comparing patient experiences in the state’s 80 public hospitals.

Over the past quarter, patients were asked a series of questions which measured hospital care in terms of continuity and coordination of service, responsiveness to patients’ needs, involvement in their decisions and helping them self-manage.

Patients gave staff at Armidale Hospital a clean bill of health in all categories, rating them higher in care than other, comparative hospitals.

Those included Shellharbour, Camden and Blue Mountains public hospitals, which were found to provide significantly lower care across the four categories.

“Armidale Hospital is pleased the ... survey shows 91 per cent of Armidale patients rated their overall care received as very good or good," Armidale Hospital acting General Manager Catharine Death said yesterday.

"The report shows Armidale Hospital was equal to or above the NSW average for 20 of the 22 categories. 

"Much of the credit needs to go to the hardworking doctors, nurses, allied health, volunteers and support staff who provide a high level of care to thousands of patients every year."

Armidale Hospital also scored well  for its quick service in treating patients for emergency and urgent injuries, such as chest pains, severe burns, blood loss and dehydration.

Ninety-five per cent of people presenting at the hospital were treated within 38 minutes, an average two minutes faster than other comparative hospitals.

But waiting times to see a doctor or be treated for semi-urgent injuries, such as a sprain or ear ache, were longer than the average.

Patients for these injuries waited an average 32 minutes before being treated, seven minutes slower than the state average.

Ms Death said overall, the average time in which patients left Armidale Hospital was one hour and forty minutes for the quarter to September 2014.

“This means most patients are being seen by their doctor and either discharged or admitted to a bed well within four hours from arrival,” Ms Death said. The result was in spite of an eight per cent increase in the number of patients presenting at the emergency department and reflected the hard work of staff, she said.