2025-acha-website

ashford painting walls

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:00:08 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Cardiologists

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:09:39 GMT

Cardiology Resources

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:44:14 GMT

7 Things you need to know about heart health

Better heart health: 7 questions answered

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant problem in Australia, but did you know making even small changes can lead to better heart health? Here, we discuss some things you can do to show your heart more love and the signs that indicate you should seek medical advice.

1. What symptoms suggest I should see a doctor and who do I see?

Certain symptoms may indicate something isn’t quite right with your heart. You should see a doctor if you’re experiencing:

Chest pain/angina
Heart palpitations (racing or irregular heartbeat)
Shortness of breath
Dizziness or fainting
Heart failure signs – swollen ankles, difficulty in breathing when lying flat, or waking up short of breath.

Your general practitioner (GP) is a great place to start. They may refer you to a cardiologist (heart specialist) for an assessment and opinion. In a medical emergency, dial 000 (triple zero).

2. What lifestyle factors impact heart health?

The way you live can significantly impact your heart health. Lifestyle factors that can place you at higher risk of developing heart disease [1] include:

Smoking – smoking damages blood vessels, including those to your heart. Smokers are three times more likely to die of a heart attack than non-smokers.
Unhealthy diet – what and how much you eat can directly affect your heart health, as well as other heart disease risk factors including your weight and cholesterol levels.
Unhealthy weight – being overweight or obese can directly impact your heart, along with your blood pressure and blood glucose control.
Lack of physical activity.
Heavy or binge drinking.

3. What are the other risk factors for heart disease?

Along with lifestyle choices, various conditions can place you at higher risk of heart disease1. Some of these are known as ‘modifiable risk factors’, which means you can do things to manage them. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some mental health conditions. Your living and working conditions can also impact your heart health.

Other heart heath risk factors include 1 :

Your age and gender [2] – in general, men are at greater risk of developing heart disease in middle age than women, with risk rising as they get older. Women are more likely to be affected later, with post-menopause hormonal changes and lifestyle factors believed to play a role. Pregnancy complications (such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes) can also increase the risk of developing heart disease in later life.
Your ethnic background – people from Middle Eastern, South Asian, Māori or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk, as are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples [3] .
A family history of heart disease.

While these risk factors can’t be controlled, this doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. Getting your heart health checked is the first step.

4. What is a Heart Health Check?

A Heart Health Check [4] is an assessment of your cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk conducted by a GP and funded under Medicare for eligible people. The 20-minute check involves gathering information about your risk factors, taking your blood pressure, and working out your risk using a special calculator.

When needed, your doctor will also design a plan for managing your risk. This may include advice to help you develop a more heart-friendly lifestyle, medications to manage any health conditions (such as high blood pressure or cholesterol), and ongoing monitoring of your risk factors.

People aged 45 years and over, or 30 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, are eligible for an annual Heart Health Check.

5. What can I do to help prevent heart disease?

You can do several things to support better heart health, including:

Quitting smoking [5] – the Heart Foundation say quitting is the single best thing you can do for your heart health1. If you need support to stop smoking, talk to your GP, call Quitline on 13 78 48, or visit the Quit website .
Eating a healthy, balanced diet – this doesn’t mean following a strict plan but making simple changes you can stick to. Aim for a diet that’s high in fresh foods and fibre, and low in unhealthy fats, salt and added sugar. Learn more about heart-healthy eating here .
Getting some exercise – regular physical activity has numerous health benefits, including lowering your risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure [6] . It also has proven benefits for mental health, including improved mood and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression [7] . Start slowly and build up gradually towards 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) on most days. Read more about physical activity and heart health here .
Achieving a healthy weight1 – this can lower your risk of heart disease, along with improving your blood pressure and cholesterol. Women should aim to achieve a waist size of less than 80cm, and men 94cm or less.
Cutting down alcohol – aim to follow Australian guidelines [8] , which recommend that healthy men and women drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than four in one day.
Getting a Heart Health Check – if you meet the eligibility criteria, it’s a great idea to book yourself in for a check-up. You should also see your doctor if you have known risk factors for CVD or need support to make heart-healthy lifestyle changes.

6. My GP recommended I see a cardiologist. What does a cardiologist do and what tests might they run?

A cardiologist is a medical doctor with additional advanced training in the assessment, management and prevention of heart disease. Your doctor may refer you to a cardiologist if they believe an expert opinion would help with managing your heart health.

A cardiologist may arrange for you to have specialised scans or tests, such as an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or specific blood tests. These give doctors a more complete picture of what’s happening with your heart and help to guide treatment decisions.

7. I have more questions, who can I ask?

If you have more questions about your heart health, talk to your GP and ask for a referral to one of our leading cardiologists at ACHA.

References

[1] Heart Foundation. Are you at risk of heart disease? https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-health-education/are-you-at-risk-of-heart-disease . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[2] Better Health Channel. Heart disease - know your risk. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/heart-disease-risk-factors . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[3] Heart Foundation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Are you at risk of heart disease? https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Heart-health-education/aboriginal-health-risk-of-heart-disease . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[4] Heart Foundation. For professionals: Heart Health Checks. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Activities-finding-or-opinion/FP-Absolute-risk-heart-health-checks . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[5] Heart Foundation. Smoking and your heart. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-health-education/smoking-and-your-heart . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[6] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Physical activity. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/behaviours-risk-factors/physical-activity/about . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[7] Healthdirect. Exercise and mental health. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/exercise-and-mental-health . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

[8] Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. How much alcohol is safe to drink? https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/alcohol/about-alcohol/how-much-alcohol-is-safe-to-drink . Accessed online 26.7.2022.

Reviewed by Prof Kuljit Singh: https://specialists.healthscope.com.au/specialist/kuljit-singh-med0001069698

Book in with us

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:53:28 GMT

By choosing Ashford Hospital’s Maternity Service, you have access to our full range of services to support you through pregnancy, birth and into motherhood.

How to book

If you wish to have your baby at Ashford Hospital, simply ask your general practitioner to refer you to an Ashford Hospital accredited Obstetrician .

Once you’ve been reviewed by your chosen Obstetrician, please complete your online admission form as soon as possible via our eAdmissions .

What costs are involved?

The cost of your hospital stay at Ashford Hospital depends on whether or not you have private health insurance and the level of cover you have .

Private health insurance

We have agreements with most private health funds to cover the hospital charges for your admission, depending on the level of your cover. Some levels of cover need you to pay an excess or co-payment and we’ll ask you to pay this beforehand or on admission.

Health fund policies need members to serve a waiting period before they provide cover, and some levels of cover have excluded services. We strongly recommend you contact your health fund to confirm your level of cover before you arrive.

We also recommend you check with your private health fund at least three months before your due date and ask whether you need to add your baby to your cover. This ensures your baby is covered should they need to be admitted to our Nursery.

If you have any questions, contact our accounts staff on 08 8375 5228 .

Other costs

Medicare does not cover any private hospital accommodation (room charges) nor operating theatre fees as this is covered by your private health insurer. Obstetrician’s fees are covered by Medicare and your private health insurer and depending on your Obstetrician and health insurance cover there may be a gap payable. You should discuss these charges with your Obstetrician and your health fund. You may also receive separate accounts for the following:

Paediatrician
Anaesthetist (if required)
Medical Imaging (if x-rays or scans were required)
Pathology (if any tests such as blood tests or biopsies were required)
Critical Care Specialist (if you require admission to our Critical Care Unit )

Insured patients

It’s important you’re aware of any financial obligations related to your admission. If this has not been discussed with you, please ask to speak to one of our accounts team members.

We’ll ask you to complete and sign a health insurance claim form when you’re admitted. You’ll need to pay any excess fees that apply to your policy before you’re admitted. We’ll submit your claim directly to your health fund on your behalf.

If your health fund rejects your claim for reimbursement for any reason, we’ll ask you to pay the outstanding fee.

Please aim to sign the health insurance claim form before you leave. If you don’t, we’ll send you a claim form to be completed, signed and returned as soon as possib le.

Self-insured patients

If you don’t have private health insurance, you can still have your baby at Ashford Hospital. We offer competitive rates for self-insured patients. Please contact our accounts staff on 08 8375 5228 to find our more.

Payment methods

We accept cash, bank cheques, money orders, EFTPOS, Amex, Visa and MasterCard. A surcharge applies to credit card transactions. We don’t accept personal or business cheques. Payment must be made prior to, or on admission .

Our team

Ashford Hospital is proud to have a highly experienced team of Midwives and staff available to assist you throughout your stay .

Our Paediatricians

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:52:13 GMT

We’re proud to work with a team of experienced and caring Paediatricians.

At Ashford Hospital you get to choose which Paediatrician you use. You may wish to discuss this option with your Obstetrician or you can contact them directly below.

Paediatricians don’t routinely attend vaginal births unless requested, however they do attend elective and emergency Caesarean Section births. In some cases, they attend delivery of multiple births, premature babies and breech deliveries. If your baby needs extra care and support they may be admitted to the Nursery.

Usually, you’ll have at least two consultations with the Paediatrician, one whilst you’re in hospital and a follow-up 6-8 weeks after you go home.

You’ll receive a separate invoice for your Paediatrician which usually includes an out-of-pocket gap cost.

Our Obstetricians

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:43:26 GMT

At Ashford Hospital, we have highly experienced, qualified and supportive Obstetricians here to care for you and your baby. To arrange a consultation, first see your GP for a referral.

Going Home

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:22:45 GMT

It’s good to know when you’ll be back home, so you can start to organise the next stage of your bigger life.

Child restraints

It’s the law in Australia that all children are restrained according to height and age in a car. The restraint must meet the Australian and New Zealand Standards.

More information about child restraints can be found at Child Restraint Guideline s .

Newborn Support Service

We understand there are many things to learn about your new baby and the Midwives at Ashford Hospital are always here to help you. Our Newborn Support Service is for you when you leave hospital, for up to 6 weeks.

This service is available by appointment:

Tuesdays between 8am and 4pm
Thursdays between 11am and 4pm

Call 08 8375 5218 for more information or to make an appointment.

Following a vaginal birth, mothers can expect to stay for three nights, however this depends on your circumstances and needs.

Following a caesarean section, mothers can expect to stay four nights, however this depends on your circumstances and needs.

Once you’re approved to go home by your Obstetrician and your baby’s Paediatrician, we ask that you aim to discharge by 10am.

It’s normal for new mothers to feel a bit anxious about taking their new baby home. There are community supports to help with your transition.

These include:

Settling and feeding

Being a parent is a rewarding experience, but it can also be challenging if your baby isn’t settling or feeding well. The South Australian Government website Parenting and Child Health offers guides for parents with newborns and babies up to twelve months old. We recommend the Sleep and Settling - A reflective workbook for parents .

Your Stay

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:17:43 GMT

At Ashford Hospital, you and your family are our focus. Every birth is unique and each journey is personal. Our maternity team will work with you to understand your goals and provide the best possible care for you, your baby and your family.

We will support you every step of the way. Our highly skilled team of health professionals including midwives, obstetricians and paediatricians will work together to ensure that you have a safe and memorable experience.

Before you arrive

Baby’s Movement in Pregnancy
Most women feel their baby move between 16 - 20 weeks. These are felt as a kick, flutter, swish or roll. Movements may not be felt regularly until 26 weeks gestation. From 26 weeks, if you think your baby’s movements may be reduced, please contact your Obstetrician or you can contact us on 08 8375 5237 .

Your Obstetrician may recommend that you attend Ashford Hospital for an assessment. During this visit you will be assessed by a Midwife, which may include fetal monitoring.

If you have been assessed and allowed to go home and reduced movements occur again, you must contact your Obstetrician or our Midwives again. Never hesitate to contact us, no matter how many times this happens during your pregnancy.

Signs of labour
The signs of labour are different for each mother and it can be difficult to tell when labour has started. Please call Ashford Hospital on 08 8375 5237 any time during the day and night to get guidance and reassurance from one of our experienced Midwives. This phone call is important as it helps us prepare for your arrival.

What to bring
For labour and delivery:
Bring anything you like to make yourself comfortable during labour your favourite pillow, music, oils, a TENS machine. You and your partner/support person will have access to complimentary refreshments, and are welcome to bring your own too.

At hospital

When you arrive
When you arrive please enter the hospital via the main entrance on Marleston Avenue, Ashford. Head towards the reception desk to tell the staff who will organise your admission. You can park in the adjacent multi-story car park .

Labour and delivery
In consultation with your Obstetrician, Ashford Hospital will support you and your birthing journey. Our team of experienced Midwives provide you and your family with personalised care, advice and support. We encourage your partner and/or support person to participate.

Birth photography
You’re welcome to take still photography but we don’t allow video recording in the Labour Suite or Operating Theatre without approval of the hospital General Manager.

If you’d like to use a professional photographer we ask that you use our approved hospital photographer only. No other professional photographers are allowed without approval of the hospital General Manager.

Pain relief
We offer a variety of effective ways to relieve pain in labour. Many factors play a role in the degree of pain, including the intensity of uterine contractions and the position of the baby as it moves down the birth canal.

Pain relief options include Nitrous Oxide, Epidural or other analgesia. Please discuss pain relief options with your Midwife, Obstetrician (and Anaesthetist if required).

Cord blood
Some families choose to collect cord blood and tissue at birth for potential use in the future.
If you wish to collect cord blood please organise this before giving birth. Click for more information on cord blood .

Neonatal care at birth
While Paediatricians do not routinely attend vaginal births unless requested, they do attend elective and emergency caesarean section births. In some cases, they also attend delivery of multiple births, premature babies, breech deliveries or births where other potential issues have been identified.

Soon after your baby is born we’ll weigh and measure them and place two identification bands on their ankles. With your consent, we also give Vitamin K to babies soon afte r birth.

Caring for you and baby in hospital

Newborn care in hospital
Unless there is a special reason, a newborn does not generally need to be admitted to our Nursery.

To help you establish a good relationship with your newborn, we encourage you to provide care in your room, with our support as needed. Our Midwives will assist you in all areas of care for your newborn, helping you learn techniques for swaddling and settling, bathing, feeding and changing baby’s nappies.

Health checks
Generally on the third day of your hospital stay, we’ll undertake the following health checks for your baby.

The Neonatal Screening Test or Guthrie, is carried out on all babies born in Australia, to detect metabolic disorders after birth. This is a heel-prick blood test.

The Newborn Hearing Screening Test, is carried out by our Midwives before you leave hospital. The test is generally performed in your room, or in a quiet location. You are welcome to stay with your baby throughout the screen.

With your consent, your baby will be vaccinated against Hepatitis B, as part of the national immunisation program.

Blue Book
Your baby’s Blue Book is given to you after the birth and needs to stay with baby during your hospital stay so that we can complete medical records prior to discharge. Your baby’s growth, development, medical history and immunisations will be recorded in the Blue Book. You should take this with you to all of your baby’s future health appointments.

Birth registration

Forms to register the birth of your baby and to claim maternity allowance are issued to you during your stay. It is essential you take these home with you as they cannot be reissued. You have 60 days to register your baby’s birth.

Personalised Care Board
We use a personalised care board in your room, as another way to keep you and your family involved in your care. This is updated regularly by our health professionals with information about your care.

Lactation and breastfeeding support
We understand that there are many things you need to learn about your new baby and the Midwives at Ashford Hospital are here to help you. Our Midwives advocate breastfeeding. If you choose to breastfeed we have dedicated Lactation Consultants to support the establishment of breastfeeding.

Like anything you do for the first time, establishing breastfeeding can be either smooth or challenging. Our Midwives are here to support you at this special time and provide consistent evidence-based education.

After delivering your baby, we’ll give you a copy of our Guide to Establishing Breastfeeding booklet. For more information on breastfeeding we recommend you visit the Australian Breastfeeding Association .

Physiotherapy
Ashford Hospital has a team of highly experienced Women’s Health Physiotherapists who will visit you after delivery for a postnatal assessment. Your Physiotherapist will provide advice and education to help with your recovery, including:

Pelvic floor exercises
Caring for your bladder and bowels
Appropriate abdominal exercises
Assessing abdominal separation
Caring for your back
Guidance with returning to your pre-pregnancy activities and exercise
Management of mastitis (in conjunction with your Obstetrician and Midwife)

Maternity Visitor Restrictions

The wellbeing of our mothers and babies is our top priority, please note the following restrictions which promote healing and those all important first days.

Visiting Hours Strictly 2.00-7.00pm
Only TWO visitors at a time.
Only siblings of baby may visit. No other children to visit.

Thank you for your cooperation

Safety

Staff identification and infant safety
Keeping you and your baby safe are paramount. All hospital staff wear photo identification. Request to see staff identification if you don’t know them.

In addition, we ask you to:

Never leave your baby or child in your room alone
Not hand your baby to anyone you don’t know
Keep your baby’s bassinet / cot away from the door to your room

Child safety
We take the safety and security of your baby seriously. Your baby will have two identification bands on after birth and they will be checked frequently. You and your support person will also need to wear identification bands throughout your admission.

The bands include:

Baby’s name
Date of baby’s birth
Gender
Baby’s hospital identifier number

Cot safety and safe infant sleeping

We recommend that you follow these guidelines for cot safety and safe infant sleeping:

Always have the cot lying flat
Place your baby on their back to sleep with feet to the end of the cot
Place your baby in the cot when you and your baby are sleeping
Leave your baby’s head uncovered
Do not place toys, including soft toys in the cot
Avoid the use of a bumper, quilt and pillows
Keep baby in a smoke-free environment
When walking around the ward, please place your baby in the cot.

For more information on safe sleeping and infant wrapping please visit

For mothers

Antenatal pregnancy record
All current medications
Comfortable day and night wear – loose fitting and front opening tops are helpful when breastfeeding
Nursing supplies – sanitary napkins, breast pads and maternity bras
Toiletries – deodorant, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste and toothbrush

For baby

Baby wet wipes
Nappies for newborns and nappy cream
Sleep suits in a range of sizes
Baby clothes and blanket for going home
Car restraint installed in car for travel home

Our Facilities

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:05:06 GMT

Ashford Hospital is well equipped, with the highest level of private critical care and neonatal care available for mother and baby in South Australia.

The Ashford Hospital Maternity Unit is located on the second floor of the hospital and includes our Labour Suites, Postnatal Maternity Suites and a Level 5 Nursery.

Labour Suites

Your Labour Suite at Ashford Hospital is spacious and comfortable. It features a multifunctional birthing bed and a variety of therapeutic comfort tools such as birthing balls.

Your Labour Suite is fitted with state-of-the-art technology, including a fetal monitoring system. The fetal monitoring system can be connected wirelessly so you can walk freely during the early stages of labour. It’s waterproof so you can labour in the shower if you wish. It also allows your Obstetrician to log-in to securely to monitor your progress any time during the day and night.

The Suite also includes an ensuite, television, telephone and Wi-Fi. A kitchenette is available for you and your support person.

One Labour Suite contains a large spa bath for use in the early stages of labour however we don’t support water births at Ashford Hospita l.

Operating Theatres

We perform Caesarean Sections in our ground floor operating theatres.

In consultation with your Obstetrician and Anaesthetist, we encourage your support person, who must be at least 18, to be in the operating room during the Caesarean Section. Your support person must follow the instructions of the Obstetrician, Anaesthetist and hospital staff at all times, including if there’s an emergency.

Postnatal Maternity Suite

Once your baby is born, you’ll move to a private Postnatal Maternity Suite. Your baby will stay with you unless they’re being cared for in the Nursery. We want to ensure your stay at Ashford Hospital is as comfortable and memorable as possible.

Your Suite has an ensuite, electric bed, television, radio, telephone, Wi-Fi and a call bell for assistance. Should you need support at any time, our Midwives are always here for you. In fact, a Midwife or staff member may come and check in on you anytime during the day or night.

Your partner or support person is welcome to stay overnight. This is a beautiful opportunity for you and your partner to develop a close bond in the early stages of your new baby’s life. There’s a lounge chair that converts to a sofa bed for them to sleep on. Partners are welcome to order meals from our kitchen and they are complimentary throughout your hospital stay. Children are not able to stay overnight.

We recommend comfortable night wear for the evenings and day clothing at all other times. Please wear shoes to walk around the ward and hospital.

Following a vaginal birth, mothers can expect to stay for three to four nights. Following a caesarean section, mothers can expect to stay four to five nigh ts.

Nursery

Our Level 5 Nursery provides intensive support for newborns and babies born prematurely and those needing a little extra support. The Nursery is the highest level of private neonatal care available in South Australia and is staffed 24-hours a day with restricted access limited to authorised persons and approved visitors.

The hospital has the additional reassurance of on-site medical cover and an adult Critical Care Unit in the case of an emergency.

The Private Experience

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:52:16 GMT

Our maternity team will work with you to understand your goals and provide the best possible care for you, your baby and your family. We will support you throughout the process, every step of the way.

Private Dining

Ashford Hospital provides you and your partner (or support person) with a selection of appetising meals.

We understand the different dietary requirements of our patients and have a range of options to choose from including a vegan / vegetarian menu. Other special dietary requests can be met if required.

Meals are served to your suite at the following times:

Breakfast 7am - 8am
Lunch 12pm – 1pm
Dinner 5pm – 6pm
Supper 7pm

Morning and afternoon tea is served daily at 10.30am and 2.30pm offering a selection of sweet and savoury canapés, helping our new parents to refuel and recharge.

Servicing your room

We aim for hotel standards in terms of cleanliness of your room. If you need towels changed, or the room cleaned, just let us know.

We’re dedicated to providing you with a personalised, private experience in a nurturing environment while offering a full range of services to support you through pregnancy, birth and into motherhood.

Our caring and highly-skilled team of health professionals, including Midwives, Obstetricians and Paediatricians, work together to ensure you have a safe and memorable experience with us.

Our private maternity experience includes:

Your choice of private Obstetrician
Your own comfortable private room with ensuite
The highest level of private critical care and neonatal care in South Australia
Dedicated Paediatricians with consulting rooms at the hospital
A team of experienced Midwives to care for you throughout your journey
Access to essential education, classes and seminars to support you and your partner
Specially prepared meals to nourish you
Exclusive Ashford newborn gift bag
Hotel standards in servicing your room.

Virtual Tour

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:47:05 GMT

Keen to see what our Ashford Maternity Unit looks like? Take a sneak peek with our virtual tour below.

Book a maternity tour

Choosing where to have your baby is a big decision, so it’s important to have the opportunity to see our facilities, get to know our staff and feel comfortable that Ashford Maternity is the right hospital for you.

Our comprehensive maternity tour is guided by one of our experienced midwives and will include viewing the Birth Suites and the Maternity Suites where you will stay after you give birth. Throughout the tour, you will have an opportunity to ask questions. If you want to talk privately after the tour, this can also be arranged.

We’d love to show you around. Give us a call today on 08 8375 5218 to arrange a maternity tour in person or email ashford.maternitybookings@acha.org.au

Education & Classes

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:34:40 GMT

The safety of our patients, babies and staff is our highest priority. Some of our classes continue to be available to view online, links are provided below.

Antenatal Education

(Available Online and Face to Face)

We have a range of maternity education and parenting classes for mums and dads. They include essential information about your pregnancy, the birth and aftercare of your baby, detailed below. All programs are held here at Ashford hospital or are available to view online.

Timetable

2025 Timetable

Bookings

Bookings are required for face to face sessions

You can book online HERE .

Health and Nutrition During Pregnancy

(Available Online)

We recognise the importance of supporting the health and nutrition of our expectant mothers and provide a Health and Nutrition During Pregnancy series, presented by our Ashford Hospital Allied Health team.

These sessions are available to view online:

Having and Caring for Your Baby

(Available Online and Face to Face)

When to attend / view: between 28 and 32 weeks’ gestation

This class will provide you with an overview of what to expect during labour, birth, your stay with us and tips for the aftercare of your baby.

We recommend you complete this program between 28 and 32 weeks’ gestation. The face to face session is held on Saturdays either between 9.30am-11.30am or 12.30pm-2.30pm. There is a capacity limit of 20 people per class (10 couples).

This program includes information on:

Active labour and birth
Pain relief options
Feeding options
Routine screening tests performed while in hospital
The role of the support person
Caesarean birth
Basic baby needs

We recommend you watch this video before attending your booked class:

Establishing Breastfeeding

(Available Online and Face to Face)

When to attend / view: between 36 and 38 weeks’ gestation

This one-hour program is exclusively for Ashford Hospital expectant mothers and covers topics that will support successful breastfeeding. It is recommended that expectant mothers attend this program between 36 and 38 weeks’ gestation.

This program includes:

Positioning
Attachment
Parental adjustment

Partners Do Make a Difference

(Available Face to Face)

When to attend: when maternity patient is between 32 and 37 weeks’ gestation

First time partners may feel nervous but a little planning goes a long way into preparing you for this amazing role. Join other “Partners to be” to discuss early parenting, the role of partners and what to expect with your newborn baby.

This is a two-hour session to be undertaken when your partner is around 32 to 37 weeks’ gestation.

Cost: $30 per partner to be paid on the day. Head to the hospital main entrance reception desk.

This program includes:

Benefits of being an involved partner
Child development
Breastfeeding information

Postnatal Education and Support

We understand that there are many things you want to learn about your new baby and our team of expert midwives are here to help you.

Our Newborn Support service is available for you when you leave hospital, for up to 6 weeks post delivery. This service is available:

Tuesdays by appointment between 8am-4pm
Thursdays by appointment between 11am-4pm

To make an appointment or for more information call 08 8375 5218 .

Our Performance: The Memorial Hospital

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:33:11 GMT

At The Memorial Hospital, we take quality and safety seriously.

To provide you with information about our performance, The Memorial Hospital publishes data which reflects the quality and safety of our care. This is only one part of our program to continually maintain and improve our high standards.

At The Memorial Hospital, quality is not just one simple measure. It includes many aspects of care and of a patient's experience.

Accreditation

The Memorial Hospital is fully accredited against the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards , a mandatory set of standards established by the Australian Government for all public and private hospitals.

Accreditation involves a visit to the hospital from an independent team of expert health professionals who review the quality and safety of services provided. This occurs every three years, in accordance with the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care . The hospital is measured against eight overarching standards with many different criteria, including patient-centred care, medication management, clinical handover, infection prevention and staff education.

At the most recent survey in August 2023, The Memorial Hospital achieved full accreditation.

ACHA's accreditation reports can be viewed here and here .

Patient Experience

At The Memorial Hospital, we are committed to providing patients with the best possible experience during their hospital stay. Patient experience often reflects the personal side of care. To evaluate how well we meet patient needs, we invite our patients to complete a survey after discharge. We have based our survey on the Australian Hospital Patient Experience Question Set (AHPEQS) developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care for use in both public and private health services.

Completion of our survey is voluntary and anonymous. Most patients fill in their surveys online. We conduct surveys continually throughout the year, which provides us with feedback that is more accurate than periodic surveys. Sample size has been building as we focus on electronic rather than paper survey formats.

Our senior hospital staff have access to The Memorial Hospital's survey results via an electronic Patient Experience Portal. This allows them to review feedback immediately and identify any opportunities for improvement. Maintaining anonymity, both positive and negative patient comments are shared with relevant staff. This is part of our commitment to provide the best possible experience for our patients.

The Memorial Hospital's survey results are also monitored by the Quality Department. Reports are presented to senior management and the Board.

One of our key questions is about the overall quality of treatment and care, which can be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, from `very poor' to `very good'. The graph below shows patients' responses during 2024.

Net Promoter Score

Another key question we ask our patients is “How likely is it that you would recommend The Memorial Hospital to a family member, friend or colleague?” Patients can rate their response on a scale of 0 (Not at all likely) to 10 (Extremely likely). This allows us to calculate the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is an index from -100 to +100.

The graph below shows the Net Promoter Score for The Memorial Hospital during 2024. The higher the score, the more patients would recommend the hospital. Scores above 50 are considered ‘excellent’.

This graph shows that the NPS at The Memorial Hospital during 2024 was 85.0.

Infection Rates

The Memorial Hospital follows strict infection control procedures, and staff take every precaution to prevent infections . Specialised infection control staff collect and analyse data on infections in order to identify and implement best practices to reduce infection rates.

Patients with weakened immune systems, wounds or invasive devices such as drips are at greater risk of infection than the general public.

One of the infections that we closely monitor at The Memorial Hospital is Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteraemia, also known as SAB or 'Golden Staph' SAB can cause skin infections, blood poisoning, pneumonia and other infections.

The graph below shows the number of Staphylococcus Aureus infections. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the Australian government target shown in the grey bar. The national benchmark for SAB is no more than 2 cases per 10,000 days of patient care.

What are we doing to prevent infection?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to prevent infections. These include:

auditing how often and how well staff wash their hands using soap and water or hand sanitiser
using gloves and specialised sterile equipment
assigning a dedicated Infection Control Nurse responsible for educating staff and implementing infection control strategies
using specialised disinfectants when cleaning facilities
following national guidelines for high level disinfection and sterilisation processes
placing hand sanitiser dispensers in public areas throughout our hospital so that they are readily accessible to staff, patients and visitors

What can you do to help?

At The Memorial Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of infection for yourself and others:

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital. This is the most important way in which you can prevent the spread of infection.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Clean your hands afterwards - every time!
If you do not have a tissue available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not into your hand.
As a patient, report any infection you have had, especially if you are still on antibiotics.
Make sure you take the full course of antibiotics you have been given, even if you are feeling better.
If you have a dressing for a wound, keep the skin around the dressing clean and dry. Let the healthcare worker looking after you know promptly if it becomes loose or wet.
Tell your healthcare worker if the area around any drips, tubes or drains inserted into your body becomes red, swollen or painful.
Let the healthcare worker looking after you know if your room or equipment has not been cleaned properly.
Stop smoking before any surgery or procedure, as smoking increases the risk of infection.

Visitors

Please do not visit if you have an illness such as a cough, cold or gastroenteritis ('gastro') or are feeling generally unwell.
Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving a patient's room.

For more information on how you can help, please read this Hand Hygiene Information Fact Sheet .

Hand Hygiene

Hand Hygiene is another name for hand washing or cleaning. Good hand hygiene is an important part of infection control. Germs can survive on unwashed hands for over an hour , and we can unknowingly transmit bacteria and viruses to others.

All The Memorial Hospital staff are required to wash their hands with soap and water or with waterless hand sanitiser. Both are equally effective. We follow the World Health Organization 's guidelines for hand hygiene, which specify the following times when healthcare staff must wash their hands:

Before touching a patient
After touching a patient
Before a procedure
After a procedure
After touching a patients belongings or surroundings

At The Memorial Hospital, we use auditors who are accredited by Hand Hygiene Australia to record whether or not hand hygiene has been performed correctly. The graph below shows the levels of hand hygiene compliance. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the Australian national benchmark of 80% , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to improve hand hygiene?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to improve hand hygiene compliance. These include:

Ongoing education programs for staff about infections and hand hygiene
A designated Infection Control Nurse responsible for educating staff and implementing infection control strategies
Placement of hand sanitiser dispensers in convenient areas throughout the hospital, including hallways and patient rooms
Use of specially designed washbasins where water can be turned on and off without touching the tap

What can you do to help?

At The Memorial Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the healthcare team. Good hand hygiene is the most important way in which patients and visitors can prevent the spread of infection in hospital.

There are a number of things you can do:

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital
Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving a patient's room
Observe hospital signage about hand hygiene
If you are unable to find a hand sanitiser station, please ask staff for assistance

For more information on how you can help, please read this Hand Hygiene Information Fact Sheet .

Patient Falls

Falls are a leading cause of hospital-acquired injury and frequently prolong or complicate hospital stays. Patients may experience a fall because they are weakened by a medical condition or after an accident or injury.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have had a fall. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of falls at other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of patient falls?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of patient falls. These include:

Risk assessments to identify patients at risk of falling
Ongoing staff education on falls prevention
Patient education on prevention of falls in hospital and at home
Use of safety equipment such as lifting hoists, walking aids and chair or bed sensors that alert staff when a patient at risk of falling gets up unassisted
Review of each fall to assess if there were any preventable factors

What can you do to help?

At Memorial Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. You may like to print a brochure containing handy hints about preventing falls. You can also watch a helpful video.

Brochure: Don't Fall For It
Video: Speak Up - Reduce Your Risk of Falling

Medication Errors

Safe medication management is important to us at The Memorial Hospital. There are many systems in use throughout the hospital to support and promote safety for supplying and administering medications, as well as monitoring their effects.

Staff at The Memorial Hospital follow strict guidelines to ensure that all medications are administered safely and correctly. We adhere to the 7 Rights of Medication Administration:

The Right Person
The Right Documentation and clinical context
The Right Drug
The Right Dose
The Right Date/Time
The Right Route
The Right to Uninterrupted Medication Administration

Errors in medication administration are captured in the hospital’s incident reporting system and investigated.

The graph below shows the rate of medication errors which required intervention. The coloured bars represent the rate at The Memorial Hospital. This is compared against the rate in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of medication errors?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of medication errors. These include:

annual medication competency training for staff involved in medication management
regular audits covering all aspects of safe medication management
ongoing staff training by Pharmacists and other relevant professions
implementation of Healthscope-wide policies and procedures which ensure safe medication management
use of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Hospital Medication Chart (PBS HMC) for prescribing medications, in accordance with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
labelling of medications as per the National Standard for User-Applied Labelling of Injectable Medicines, Fluids and Lines
use of Australia’s National ‘Tall Man Lettering’ List in medication store rooms to better distinguish between medications that have similar names
access to resources that assist with safe medication management, e.g. MIMS Online, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Clinical Excellence Commission and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
recording of all medication incidents and near misses in the hospital’s incident reporting system
staff completing a self-reflection tool after any medication incident
formal review of each medication error to identify contributing factors and prevent it from recurring

What can you as a patient do to help?

We encourage you to bring an up-to-date list of your current medications to hospital with you. This should include the name of the medication, the dose and when, how and why you are taking it. Please give this list to your nurse or doctor when you are admitted. If you bring your own medications into hospital with you, these have to be checked and documented by staff. It is important that you talk to your nurse or doctor if you are uncertain or concerned about any of your medications.

Pressure Injuries

Pressure injuries - commonly known as bed sores - are areas of skin damage caused by prolonged pressure. They can range in severity from an area of reddened skin to ulcers with underlying tissue damage.

Pressure injuries can sometimes occur when a patient remains in one position for a long period. Certain people are at increased risk of developing pressure injuries, such as the elderly, people who are bed-bound or have poor mobility, and people with chronic conditions like diabetes.

This graph below shows the number of patients who have developed a pressure injury during their admission to hospital. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of pressure injuries in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise the risk of pressure injuries?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise the risk of patients developing pressure injuries. These include:

Risk assessments to identify patients who are susceptible to pressure injuries
Ongoing education for nursing staff in pressure injury identification, prevention and management
Patient education on prevention of pressure injuries in hospital and at home
Use of pressure-relieving devices such as special mattresses, cushions, wedges, sheepskins, water-filled supports, contoured or textured foam supports, heel elevators and supports filled with gel or beads
Regularly changing patients' position and encouraging walking or movement if possible
Referral to a wound management consultant if a pressure injury is identified
Review of each pressure injury acquired in hospital to assess if there were any preventable factors

Blood Transfusion

A blood transfusion is the transfer of blood or blood products such as platelets or plasma into a patient's vein, usually via an intravenous (IV) cannula. Transfusions may be necessary when a patient:

Has lost a large amount of blood
Is unable to produce parts of their own blood
Has blood cells that are not functioning properly

Transfusions are carried out on doctor's orders by trained professional staff, in accordance with the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and with the patient's consent. The Memorial Hospital audits this on a regular basis.

A blood transfusion can be lifesaving or significantly improve quality of life. Australia has one of the safest blood supplies in the world, but no blood transfusion is completely without risk.While adverse events are rare, they may include:

Transfusion of incorrect blood / blood component
Transmission of infection, for example bacteria or viruses
Transfusion-related immune reaction
Transfusion-related acute lung injury

The graph below shows the number of patients at The Memorial Hospital who had a transfusion with no significant adverse event. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of successful transfusion events in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of adverse transfusion events?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of adverse transfusion events. These include:

Avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions by use of medications and non-blood treatments
Identifying any risk factors for adverse reactions before the transfusion commences
Careful cross-matching of blood groups to make sure no errors occur
Ongoing training for nursing staff involved in blood transfusion administration
Patient education and provision of written materials explaining blood transfusions
Careful monitoring of patients during administration of a blood transfusion
Working closely with the pathology laboratory that provides the blood
Review of each adverse transfusion event to assess if there were any preventable factors

The Memorial Hospital is a member of Healthscope's national Transfusion Team that oversees best practice standards for transfusion management and reviews adverse events nationally, so that all hospitals can learn from them.

Unplanned Return to Theatre

Following a procedure in the operating theatre, patients sometimes need an unplanned second operation. This is called ' return to theatre '. There are many reasons why a patient may require a further operation, such as complications from the first procedure or an unrelated matter.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required a return to theatre after having an operation at The Memorial Hospital. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of return to theatre in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned returns to theatre?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned returns to theatre. These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
Careful monitoring of patients in recovery
Review of all unplanned returns to theatre to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Admission to Intensive Care

Following surgery, all patients require close monitoring. This monitoring typically happens in the Recovery Unit. For some major operations, such as heart surgery, an admission to the Intensive Care Unit may be planned to allow monitoring with specialised equipment.

Occasionally, a patient may have an unexpected reaction to the an aesthetic or a complication from surgery and will require an unplanned admission to Intensive Care.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required an unplanned admission to the Intensive Care Unit within 24 hours of their operation. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned admission to Intensive Care in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned admissions to Intensive Care?

The Memorial Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned admissions to Intensive Care. These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
Advance bookings of Intensive Care beds for patients who have specific risk factors
Review of each unplanned admission to Intensive Care to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Readmission to Hospital

Following discharge from hospital, patients may sometimes require an unplanned readmission. There are many reasons why a patient may need to return to hospital, such as a surgical wound infection that occurred after the initial hospital stay.

Good discharge planning can help reduce the rate of unplanned readmissions. This includes making follow-up arrangements, providing patients with clear care instructions and helping them recognise symptoms that require immediate medical attention.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required an unplanned readmission to hospital within 28 days of their first admission. The coloured bars represent The Memorial Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned readmissions in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned readmissions?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned readmissions. These include:

Discharge processes which ensure that patients understand their medications and any post-operative instructions
Arranging appropriate follow-up care and ongoing appointments, e.g. with the General Practitioner or Physiotherapist
Review of each unplanned readmission to assess if there were any preventable factors

Many organisations today are measuring quality in healthcare using varying criteria. Evaluating this information can be difficult and time consuming since not all measures reflect the same information from one report to another. However, it is important for patients to ask questions and look at quality information to ensure they are getting the efficient and effective care they need.

The Memorial Hospital is a member of the Adelaide Community Healthcare Alliance Incorporated (ACHA). ACHA and its contracted manager Healthscope, supports transparent public reporting of healthcare quality data and actively participates in initiatives of the following organisations.

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (the Commission) was established in 2006 by the Australian, State and Territory Governments to lead and coordinate national improvement in safety and quality. Healthscope (ACHA contracted manager) has representation on the Private Hospital Sector Advisory Committee and several key working groups.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is a major national agency set up by the Australian Government under the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act to provide reliable, regular and relevant information and statistics on Australia's health and welfare.

The MyHospitals section of the AIHW website lists all public and private hospitals in Australia, along with information about waiting times for elective surgery and emergency department access. Healthscope (ACHA contracted manager) - had representation on the MyHospitals Development Advisory Committee.

What are we doing to improve patient experience?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to improve patient experience. These include:

inviting feedback from all patients, listening to their views and making changes as a result
ongoing staff education and provision of resources to ensure that care is person-focused and of the highest standard
hospital management constantly monitoring the rating of overall treatment and care and taking action to address any areas of concern
engaging Consumer Consultants who provide feedback from a patient's or carer's perspective
involving patients in their care, for example by shift handover occurring at the bedside
follow-up phone calls to patients after discharge from hospital to ensure they are recovering well and are given an opportunity to provide feedback
keeping relatives informed of the current location of their family members in hospital via the `Patient Finder' app
`Patient Journeys' - volunteer patients diarising detailed feedback on every part of their hospital experience from pre-admission to post-discharge follow-up
focused initiatives to address areas of concern, such as taste testing to improve our menu, or measuring of noise levels within different hospital areas

Rehabilitation Outcomes

At The Memorial Hospital we measure the ability, mobility and independence of patients on admission and again on discharge, to assess their level of improvement. We use the internationally recognised FIM (Functional Independence Measure), a scale which measures the success of rehabilitation.

It is important to note that rehabilitation outcomes are not solely dependent on the quality of care provided. Patient-specific factors such as age, severity of condition and presence of other health issues can influence how much improvement is achieved.

Rehabilitation for Neurological Conditions

The graph below shows the improvement in patients after rehabilitation for a neurological (brain) condition such as Parkinson's Disease or Multiple Sclerosis. The dark coloured bars show patients' abilities on admission to The Memorial Hospital. The pale coloured bars show patients' abilities on discharge. This is compared to the outcomes at other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bars.

Orthopaedic Fracture Rehabilitation

The graph below shows the improvement in patients after rehabilitation for a fractured bone. The dark coloured bars represent patients' abilities on admission to The Memorial Hospital. The pale coloured bars represent patients' abilities on discharge. This is compared to the outcomes at other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bars.

Rehabilitation for Hip, Knee or Shoulder Replacement

The graph below shows the improvement in patiets after rehabilitation for a joint replacement. The dark coloured bars represent patients' abilities on admission to The Memorial Hospital. The pale coloured bars represent patients' abilities on discharge. This is compared to the outcomes at other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bars.

What are we doing to improve rehabilitation outcomes?

The Memorial Hospital employs a variety of strategies to improve our patients' rehabilitation outcomes. These include:

A multi-disciplinary team approach, including expert nursing and allied health professionals
Individual and group therapy, often including practice of tasks of daily living
Depression screening for all stroke patients to support full participation in rehabilitation
Swallowing and / or speech / language therapy with a Speech Pathologist

Our Performance: Flinders Private Hospital

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:11:04 GMT

At Flinders Private Hospital, we take quality and safety seriously.

To provide you with information about our performance, Flinders Private Hospital publishes data which reflects the quality and safety of our care. This is only one part of our program to continually maintain and improve our high standards.

At Flinders Private Hospital, quality is not just one simple measure. It includes many aspects of care and of a patient's experience.

Accreditation

Flinders Private Hospital is fully accredited against the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, a mandatory set of standards established by the Australian Government for all public and private hospitals.

Accreditation involves a visit to the hospital from an independent team of expert health professionals who review the quality and safety of services provided. This occurs every three years, in accordance with the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care. The hospital is measured against eight overarching standards with many different criteria, including patient-centred care, medication management, clinical handover, infection prevention and staff education.

At the most recent survey in August 2023, Flinders Private Hospital achieved full accreditation. ACHA's accreditation reports can be viewed here and here.

Patient Experience

At Flinders Private Hospital, we are committed to providing patients with the best possible experience during their hospital stay. Patient experience often reflects the personal side of care. To evaluate how well we meet patient needs, we invite our patients to complete a survey after discharge. We have based our survey on the Australian Hospital Patient Experience Question Set (AHPEQS) developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care for use in both public and private health services.

Our senior hospital staff have access to Flinders Private Hospital's survey results via an electronic Patient Experience Portal. This allows them to review feedback immediately and identify any opportunities for improvement. Maintaining anonymity, both positive and negative patient comments are shared with relevant staff. This is part of our commitment to provide the best possible experience for our patients.

Flinders Private Hospital's survey results are also monitored by the Quality Department. Reports are presented to senior management and the Board.

Net Promoter Score

Another key question we ask our patients is “How likely is it that you would recommend Flinders Private Hospital to a family member, friend or colleague?” Patients can rate their response on a scale of 0 (Not at all likely) to 10 (Extremely likely). This allows us to calculate the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is an index from -100 to +100.

The graph below shows the Net Promoter Score for Flinders Private Hospital during 2024. The higher the score, the more patients would recommend the hospital. Scores above 50 are considered ‘excellent’.

This graph shows that the NPS at Flinders Private Hospital during 2024 was 81.3.

Infection Rates

Flinders Private Hospital follows strict infection control procedures, and staff take every precaution to prevent infections. Specialised infection control staff collect and analyse data on infections in order to identify and implement best practices to reduce infection rates.

Patients with weakened immune systems, wounds or invasive devices such as drips are at greater risk of infection than the general public.

One of the infections that we closely monitor at Flinders Private Hospital is Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteraemia, also known as SAB or 'Golden Staph' SAB can cause skin infections, blood poisoning, pneumonia and other infections.

The graph below shows the number of Staphylococcus Aureus infections. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the Australian government target shown in the grey bar. The national benchmark for SAB is no more than 2 cases per 10,000 days of patient care.

What are we doing to prevent infection?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to prevent infections. These include:

auditing how often and how well staff wash their hands using soap and water or hand sanitiser
using gloves and specialised sterile equipment
assigning a dedicated Infection Control Nurse responsible for educating staff and implementing infection control strategies
using specialised disinfectants when cleaning facilities
following national guidelines for high level disinfection and sterilisation processes
placing hand sanitiser dispensers in public areas throughout our hospital so that they are readily accessible to staff, patients and visitors

What can you do to help?

At Flinders Private Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of infection for yourself and others:

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital. This is the most important way in which you can prevent the spread of infection.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Clean your hands afterwards - every time!
If you do not have a tissue available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not into your hand.
As a patient, report any infection you have had, especially if you are still on antibiotics.
Make sure you take the full course of antibiotics you have been given, even if you are feeling better.
If you have a dressing for a wound, keep the skin around the dressing clean and dry. Let the healthcare worker looking after you know promptly if it becomes loose or wet.
Tell your healthcare worker if the area around any drips, tubes or drains inserted into your body becomes red, swollen or painful.
Let the healthcare worker looking after you know if your room or equipment has not been cleaned properly.
Stop smoking before any surgery or procedure, as smoking increases the risk of infection.

Visitors

Please do not visit if you have an illness such as a cough, cold or gastroenteritis ('gastro') or are feeling generally unwell.
Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving a patient's room.

For more information on how you can help, please read this Hand Hygiene Information Fact Sheet .

Hand Hygiene

All Flinders Private Hospital staff are required to frequently wash their hands with soap and water or with waterless hand sanitiser. Both are equally effective. We follow the World Health Organization 's guidelines for hand hygiene, which specify the following times when health care staff must wash their hands:

Before touching a patient
After touching a patient
Before a procedure
After a procedure
After touching a patient's belongings or surroundings

At Flinders Private Hospital, we use auditors who are accredited by Hand Hygiene Australia to record whether or not hand hygiene has been performed correctly. The graph below shows the levels of hand hygiene compliance. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the Australian national benchmark of 80%, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to improve hand hygiene?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to improve hand hygiene compliance. These include:

Ongoing education programs for staff about infections and hand hygiene
A designated Infection Control Nurse responsible for educating staff and implementing infection control strategies
Placement of hand sanitiser dispensers in convenient areas throughout the hospital, including hallways and patient rooms
Use of specially designed washbasins where water can be turned on and off without touching the tap

In addition - and to address the lower compliance rate among doctors - posters depicting senior medical officers performing hand hygiene are placed around the hospital. Data is shared with the Medical Advisory Committee, and hand hygiene results are discussed at hospital level and compared between departments.

What can you do to help?

At Flinders Private Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. Good hand hygiene is the most important way in which patients and visitors can prevent the spread of infection in hospital.

There are a number of things you can do:

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital
Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving a patient's room
Observe hospital signage about hand hygiene
If you are unable to find a hand sanitiser station, please ask staff for assistance

For more information on how you can help, please read this Hand Hygiene Information Fact Sheet .

Patient Falls

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have had a fall. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the industry rate of falls at other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of patient falls?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of patient falls. These include:

Risk assessments to identify patients at risk of falling
Ongoing staff education on falls prevention
Patient education on prevention of falls in hospital and at home
Use of safety equipment such as lifting hoists, walking aids and chair or bed sensors that alert staff when a patient at risk of falling gets up unassisted
Review of each fall to assess if there were any preventable factors

What can you do to help?

At Healthscope, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. You may like to print a brochure containing handy hints about preventing falls in hospital and at home. You can also watch a helpful video.

Medication Errors

Safe medication management is important to us at Flinders Private Hospital. There are many systems in use throughout the hospital to support and promote safety for supplying and administering medications, as well as monitoring their effects.

Staff at Flinders Private Hospital follow strict guidelines to ensure that all medications are administered safely and correctly. We adhere to the 7 Rights of Medication Administration:

The Right Person
The Right Documentation and clinical context
The Right Drug
The Right Dose
The Right Date/Time
The Right Route
The Right to Uninterrupted Medication Administration

Errors in medication administration are captured in the hospital’s incident reporting system and investigated.

The graph below shows the rate of medication errors which required intervention. The coloured bars represent the rate at Flinders Private Hospital. This is compared against the rate in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of medication errors?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of medication errors. These include:

annual medication competency training for staff involved in medication management
regular audits covering all aspects of safe medication management
ongoing staff training by Pharmacists and other relevant professions
implementation of Healthscope-wide policies and procedures which ensure safe medication management
use of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Hospital Medication Chart (PBS HMC) for prescribing medications, in accordance with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
labelling of medications as per the National Standard for User-Applied Labelling of Injectable Medicines, Fluids and Lines
use of Australia’s National ‘Tall Man Lettering’ List in medication store rooms to better distinguish between medications that have similar names
access to resources that assist with safe medication management, e.g. MIMS Online, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Clinical Excellence Commission and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
recording of all medication incidents and near misses in the hospital’s incident reporting system
staff completing a self-reflection tool after any medication incident
formal review of each medication error to identify contributing factors and prevent it from recurring

What can you as a patient do to help?

Pressure Injuries

This graph below shows the number of patients who have developed a pressure injury during their admission to hospital. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the industry rate of pressure injuries in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise the risk of pressure injuries?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise the risk of patients developing pressure injuries. These include:

Risk assessments to identify patients who are susceptible to pressure injuries
Ongoing education for nursing staff in pressure injury identification, prevention and management
Patient education on prevention of pressure injuries in hospital and at home
Use of pressure-relieving devices such as special mattresses, cushions, wedges, sheepskins, water-filled supports, contoured or textured foam supports, heel elevators and supports filled with gel or beads
Regularly changing patients' position and encouraging walking or movement if possible
Referral to a wound management consultant if a pressure injury is identified
Review of each pressure injury acquired in hospital to assess if there were any preventable factors

Blood Transfusion

Has lost a large amount of blood
Is unable to produce parts of their own blood
Has blood cells that are not functioning properly

Transfusions are carried out on Doctor's orders by trained professional staff, in accordance with the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and with the patient's consent. Flinders Private Hospital audits this on a regular basis.

Transfusion of incorrect blood / blood component
Transmission of infection, for example bacteria or viruses
Transfusion-related immune reaction
Transfusion-related acute lung injury

The graph below shows the number of patients at Flinders Private Hospital who had a transfusion with no significant adverse event. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the industry rate of successful transfusion events in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of adverse transfusion events?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of adverse transfusion events. These include:

Avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions by use of medications and non-blood treatments
Identifying any risk factors for adverse reactions before the transfusion commences
Careful cross-matching of blood groups to make sure no errors occur
Ongoing training for nursing staff involved in blood transfusion administration
Patient education and provision of written materials explaining blood transfusions
Careful monitoring of patients during administration of a blood transfusion
Working closely with the pathology laboratory that provides the blood
Review of each adverse transfusion event to assess if there were any preventable factors

Flinders Private Hospital is a member of the Healthscope national Transfusion Team that oversees best practice standards for transfusion management and reviews adverse events nationally, so that all hospitals can learn from them.

Unplanned Overnight Stay for a Day Patient

Many operations and procedures performed at Flinders Private Hospital do not require an overnight stay. For minor procedures like colonoscopies and cataract surgery, patients are usually admitted a few hours before their procedure and go home later the same day, after they have recovered from the anaesthetic.

Occasionally, a patient may have an unexpected reaction to the procedure or anaesthetic and will require an unplanned overnight stay or transfer to another hospital.

The graph below shows the percentage of day patients who have required an unplanned overnight stay or transfer to another hospital. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned overnight stays in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned overnight stays?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned overnight stays. These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
All Day Procedure patients are called prior to admission to confirm their suitability for a day admission. Doctors and pre-admission staff check for any health conditions or social constraints that may impact upon a patient being able to be discharged home on the same day.
Coordination of admission times and operating lists to allow sufficient time for patients to recover from their anaesthetic prior to discharge
Specific allocation of admission times to ensure that patients are sufficiently recovered to go home
Careful monitoring of patients during recovery
Strict criteria and use of a consistent process for discharging patients home, to make sure they have fully recovered from the procedure and are comfortable with their pain management
Review of each unplanned overnight stay to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Return to Theatre

Following a procedure in the operating theatre, patients sometimes need an unplanned second operation. This is called ' return to theatre .' There are many reasons why a patient may require a further operation, such as complications from the first procedure or an unrelated matter.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required a return to theatre after having an operation at Flinders Private Hospital. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the industry rate of return to theatre in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned returns to theatre?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned returns to theatre. These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
Careful monitoring of patients in recovery
Review of all unplanned returns to theatre to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Admission to Intensive Care

Following surgery, all patients require close monitoring. This monitoring typically happens in the Recovery Unit. For some major operations, such as heart surgery, an admission to the Critical Care Unit may be planned to allow monitoring with specialised equipment.

Occasionally, a patient may have an unexpected reaction to the anaesthetic or a complication from surgery and will require an unplanned admission to Critical Care.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required an unplanned admission to the Critical Care Unit within 24 hours of their operation. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned admission to Critical Care in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned admissions to Critical Care?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned admissions to Intensive Care. These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
Advance bookings of Critical Care beds for patients who have specific risk factors
Patients with sleep apnoea are advised to bring their own CPAP machine into hospital, so that they don't require a Critical Care bed.
Careful management of pain relief and hydration to enable patients to recover safely from their surgery on the ward
Review of each unplanned admission to Critical Care to assess if there were any preventable factors

Patients are assessed by the medical officer and nursing staff prior to their surgery to ensure any pre-existing health issues are addressed and planned for. The Critical Care Unit is available for any patient who may need extra support following their surgery, particularly if the surgery is prolonged or their health condition requires extra medical attention. Numbers are monitored to ensure there are no specific types of surgery or specialties that frequently require unplanned admissions.

Unplanned Readmission to Hospital

Following discharge from hospital, patients sometimes require an unplanned readmission. There are many reasons why a patient may need to return to hospital, such as a surgical would infection that occurred after their initial hospital stay.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required an unplanned readmission to hospital within 28 days of their first admission. The coloured bars represent Flinders Private Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned readmission in other Australian hospitals , shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned readmissions?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned readmissions. These include:

discharge processes which ensure that patients understand their medications and any post-operative instructions
arranging appropriate follow-up care and ongoing appointments, e.g. with the General Practitioner or Physiotherapist
reviewing each unplanned readmission to assess if there were any preventable factors

Many organisations today are measuring quality in health care using varying criteria. Evaluating this information can be difficult and time-consuming since not all measures reflect the same information from one report to another. However, it is important for patients to ask questions and look at quality information to ensure they are getting the efficient and effective care they need.

Ashford Hospital is a member of the Adelaide Community Healthcare Alliance Incorporated (ACHA). ACHA and its contracted manager Healthscope, supports transparent public reporting of healthcare quality data and actively participates in initiatives of the following organisations.

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) - The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (the Commission) was established in 2006 by the Australian, State and Territory Governments to lead and coordinate national improvement in safety and quality. Healthscope (ACHA's contracted manager) - has representation on the Private Hospital Sector Advisory Committee and several key working groups.

The MyHospitals section of the AIHW website lists all public and private hospitals in Australia, along with information about waiting times for elective surgery and emergency department access. Healthscope (ACHA's contracted manager) - had representation on the MyHospitals Development Advisory Committee.

What are we doing to improve patient experience?

Flinders Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to improve patient experience. These include:

inviting feedback from all patients, listening to their views and making changes as a result
ongoing staff education and provision of resources to ensure that care is person-focused and of the highest standard
hospital management constantly monitoring the rating of overall treatment and care and taking action to address any areas of concern
engaging Consumer Consultants who provide feedback from a patient's or carer's perspective
involving patients in their care, for example by shift handover occurring at the bedside
follow-up phone calls to patients after discharge from hospital to ensure they are recovering well and are given an opportunity to provide feedback
keeping relatives informed of the current location of their family member in hospital via the `Patient Finder' app
`Patient Journeys' - volunteer patients diarising detailed feedback on every part of their hospital experience from pre-admission to post-discharge follow-up
focused initiatives to address areas of concern, such as taste testing to improve our menu, or measuring of noise levels within different hospital areas

Our Performance: Ashford Hospital

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:52:10 GMT

At Ashford Hospital, we take quality and safety seriously.

To provide you with information about our performance, Ashford Hospital publishes data which reflects the quality and safety of our care. This is only one part of our program to continually maintain and improve our high standards.

At Ashford Hospital, quality is not just one simple measure. It includes many aspects of care and of a patient's experience.

Accreditation

Ashford Hospital is fully accredited against the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, a mandatory set of standards established by the Australian Government for all public and private hospitals.

Accreditation involves a visit to the hospital from an independent team of expert health professionals who review the quality and safety of services provided. This occurs every three years, in accordance with the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care. The hospital is measured against eight overarching standards with many different criteria, including patient-centred care, medication management, clinical handover, infection prevention and staff education.

At the most recent survey in August 2023, Ashford Hospital achieved full accreditation. ACHA's accreditation reports can be viewed here and here.

Patient Experience

At Ashford Hospital, we are committed to providing patients with the best possible experience during their hospital stay. Patient experience often reflects the personal side of care. To evaluate how well we meet patient needs, we invite our patients to complete a survey after discharge. We have based our survey on the Australian Hospital Patient Experience Question Set (AHPEQS) developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care for use in both public and private health services.

Our senior hospital staff have access to Ashford Hospital's survey results via an electronic Patient Experience Portal. This allows them to review feedback immediately and identify any opportunities for improvement. Maintaining anonymity, both positive and negative patient comments are shared with relevant staff. This is part of our commitment to provide the best possible experience for our patients.

Ashford Hospital's survey results are also monitored by the Quality Department. Reports are presented to senior management and the Board.

One of our key questions is about the overall quality of treatment and care, which can be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, from 'very poor' to 'very good'. The graph below shows patients' responses during 2024.

Net Promoter Score

Another key question we ask our patients is “How likely is it that you would recommend Ashford Hospital to a family member, friend or colleague?” Patients can rate their response on a scale of 0 (Not at all likely) to 10 (Extremely likely). This allows us to calculate the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is an index from -100 to +100.

The graph below shows the Net Promoter Score for Ashford Hospital during 2024. The higher the score, the more patients would recommend the hospital. Scores above 50 are considered ‘excellent’.

This graph shows that the NPS at Ashford Hospital during 2024 was 82.6.

Infection Rates

Ashford Hospital follows strict infection control procedures, and staff take every precaution to prevent infections. Specialised infection control staff collect and analyse data on infections in order to identify and implement best practices to reduce infection rates.

Patients with weakened immune systems, wounds or invasive devices such as drips are at greater risk of infection than the general public.

One of the infections that we closely monitor at Ashford Hospital is Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteraemia, also known as SAB or 'Golden Staph.' SAB can cause skin infections, blood poisoning, pneumonia and other infections.

The graph below shows the number of Staphylococcus Aureus infections. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the Australian government target shown in the grey bar. The national benchmark for SAB is no more than 2 cases per 10,000 days of patient care.

What are we doing to prevent infection?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to prevent infections. These include:

auditing how often and how well staff wash their hands using soap and water or hand sanitiser
using gloves and specialised sterile equipment
assigning a dedicated Infection Control Nurse responsible for educating staff and implementing infection control strategies
using specialised disinfectants when cleaning facilities
following national guidelines for high level disinfection and sterilisation processes
placing hand sanitiser dispensers in public areas throughout our hospital so that they are readily accessible to staff, patients and visitors

What can you do to help?

At Ashford Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of infection for yourself and others:

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital. This is the most important way in which you can prevent the spread of infection.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Clean your hands afterwards - every time!
If you do not have a tissue available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not into your hand.
As a patient, report any infection you have had, especially if you are still on antibiotics.
Make sure you take the full course of antibiotics you have been given, even if you are feeling better.
If you have a dressing for a wound, keep the skin around the dressing clean and dry. Let the healthcare worker looking after you know promptly if it becomes loose or wet.
Tell your healthcare worker if the area around any drips, tubes or drains inserted into your body becomes red, swollen or painful.
Let the healthcare worker looking after you know if your room or equipment has not been cleaned properly.
Stop smoking before any surgery or procedure, as smoking increases the risk of infection.

Visitors

Please do not visit if you have an illness such as a cough, cold or gastroenteritis ('gastro') or are feeling generally unwell.
Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving a patient's room.

For more information on how you can help, please read this Hand Hygiene Information Fact Sheet.

Hand Hygiene

Hand Hygiene is another name for hand washing or cleaning. Good hand hygiene is an important part of infection control. Germs can survive on unwashed hands for over an hour, and we can unknowingly transmit bacteria and viruses to others.

All Ashford Hospital staff are required to frequently wash their hands with soap and water or with waterless hand sanitiser. Both are equally effective. We follow the World Health Organization's guidelines for hand hygiene, which specify the following times when health care staff must wash their hands:

Before touching a patient
After touching a patient
Before a procedure
After a procedure
After touching a patient's belongings or surroundings

At Ashford Hospital, we use auditors who are accredited by Hand Hygiene Australia to record whether or not hand hygiene has been performed correctly. The graph below shows the levels of hand hygiene compliance. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the Australian national benchmark of 80%, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to improve hand hygiene?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to improve hand hygiene compliance. These include:

Ongoing education programs for staff about infections and hand hygiene
A designated Infection Control Nurse responsible for educating staff and implementing infection control strategies
Placement of hand sanitiser dispensers in convenient areas throughout the hospital, including hallways and patient rooms
Use of specially designed washbasins where water can be turned on and off without touching the tap
Life-size posters of Ashford doctors supporting hand hygiene
Regular communication with medical staff to promote hand hygiene

What can you do to help?

At Ashford Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. Good hand hygiene is the most important way in which patients and visitors can prevent the spread of infection in hospital.

There are a number of things you can do:

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital
Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving a patient's room
Observe hospital signage about hand hygiene

If you are unable to find a hand sanitiser station, please ask staff for assistance

For more information on how you can help, please read this Hand Hygiene Information Fact Sheet.

Patient Falls

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have had a fall. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of falls at other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of patient falls?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of patient falls. These include:

Risk assessments to identify patients at risk of falling
Ongoing staff education on falls prevention
Patient education on prevention of falls in hospital and at home
Use of safety equipment such as lifting hoists, walking aids and chair or bed sensors that alert staff when a patient at risk of falling gets up unassisted
Review of each fall to assess if there were any preventable factors

What can you do to help?

At Ashford Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the health care team. You may like to print a brochure containing handy hints about preventing falls. You can also watch a helpful video.

Brochure: Don't Fall For It
Video: Speak Up - Reduce Your Risk of Falling

Medication Errors

Safe medication management is important to us at Ashford Hospital. There are many systems in use throughout the hospital to support and promote safety for supplying and administering medications, as well as monitoring their effects.

Staff at Ashford Hospital follow strict guidelines to ensure that all medications are administered safely and correctly. We adhere to the 7 Rights of Medication Administration:

The Right Person
The Right Documentation and clinical context
The Right Drug
The Right Dose
The Right Date/Time
The Right Route
The Right to Uninterrupted Medication Administration

Errors in medication administration are captured in the hospital’s incident reporting system and investigated.

The graph below shows the rate of medication errors which required intervention. The coloured bars represent the rate at Ashford Hospital. This is compared against the rate in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to reduce the risk of medication errors?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of medication errors. These include:

annual medication competency training for staff involved in medication management
regular audits covering all aspects of safe medication management
ongoing staff training by Pharmacists and other relevant professions
implementation of Healthscope-wide policies and procedures which ensure safe medication management
use of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Hospital Medication Chart (PBS HMC) for prescribing medications, in accordance with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
labelling of medications as per the National Standard for User-Applied Labelling of Injectable Medicines, Fluids and Lines
use of Australia’s National ‘Tall Man Lettering’ List in medication store rooms to better distinguish between medications that have similar names
access to resources that assist with safe medication management, e.g. MIMS Online, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Clinical Excellence Commission and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
recording of all medication incidents and near misses in the hospital’s incident reporting system
staff completing a self-reflection tool after any medication incident
formal review of each medication error to identify contributing factors and prevent it from recurring

What can you as a patient do to help?

Pressure Injuries

This graph below shows the number of patients who have developed a pressure injury during their admission to hospital. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of pressure injuries in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise the risk of pressure injuries?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise the risk of patients developing pressure injuries. These include:

Risk assessments to identify patients who are susceptible to pressure injuries
Ongoing education for nursing staff in pressure injury identification, prevention and management
Patient education on prevention of pressure injuries in hospital and at home
Use of pressure-relieving devices such as special mattresses, cushions, wedges, sheepskins, water-filled supports, contoured or textured foam supports, heel elevators and supports filled with gel or beads
Regularly changing patients' position and encouraging walking or movement if possible
Referral to a wound management consultant if a pressure injury is identified
Review of each pressure injury acquired in hospital to assess if there were any preventable factors

Blood Transfusion

Has lost a large amount of blood
Is unable to produce parts of their own blood
Has blood cells that are not functioning properly

Transfusion of incorrect blood / blood component
Transmission of infection, for example bacteria or viruses
Transfusion-related immune reaction
Transfusion-related acute lung injury

The graph below shows the number of patients at Ashford Hospital who had a transfusion with no significant adverse event. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of successful transfusion events in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What we are doing to reduce the risk of adverse transfusion events?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of adverse transfusion events. These include:

Avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions by use of medications and non-blood treatments
Identifying any risk factors for adverse reactions before the transfusion commences
Careful cross-matching of blood groups to make sure no errors occur
Ongoing training for nursing staff involved in blood transfusion administration
Patient education and provision of written materials explaining blood transfusions
Careful monitoring of patients during administration of a blood transfusion
Working closely with the pathology laboratory that provides the blood
Review of each adverse transfusion event to assess if there were any preventable factors

Ashford Hospital is part of the Healthscope national Transfusion Team that oversees best practice standards for transfusion management and reviews adverse events nationally, so that all hospitals can learn from them.

Emergency Department Waiting Times

When a patient visits the Emergency Department at Ashford Hospital, the triage nurse carries out an assessment of how urgent the patient's condition is. Each patient is assigned a triage category from 1 through to 5 on the Australasian Triage Scale.

According to the best practice guidelines, patients must be seen for medical assessment and treatment within the following times:

Category 1 patients must be attended to immediately (e.g. cardiac arrest)
Category 2 patients attended to within 10 minutes (e.g. severe blood loss)
Category 3 patients attended to within 30 minutes (e.g. head injury but conscious)
Category 4 patients attended to within 60 minutes (e.g. sprained ankle, possible fracture)
Category 5 patients attended to within 120 minutes (e.g. cut not requiring stitches)

Patients who are in categories 1, 2 or 3 will be seen before categories 4 and 5, even if they arrive in the department at a later time. All hospitals with Emergency Departments measure how quickly patients are seen. The graphs below show the percentage of patients in each category that are seen within the recommended time. They show that on average, patients visiting the Emergency Department at Ashford Hospital have been seen more quickly than in other Australian hospitals. Please note that in 2017, Ashford Hospital Emergency Department did not receive any patients who were triaged as 'Category 1.'

To view the current waiting times for Ashford Hospital's Emergency Department, please click here.

What are we doing to reduce waiting times in the Emergency Department?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to reduce waiting times in our Emergency Department. These include:

Continually reviewing our doctor and nurse staffing levels
monitoring the number of ambulance arrivals
monitoring bed availability for transfers to the hospital

Unplanned Overnight Stay for a Day Patient

Many operations and procedures performed at Ashford Hospital do not require an overnight stay. For minor procedures like colonoscopies and cataract surgery, patients are usually admitted a few hours before their procedure and go home later the same day, after they have recovered from the anaesthetic.

Occasionally, a patient may have an unexpected reaction to the procedure or anaesthetic and will require an unplanned overnight stay or transfer to another hospital.

The graph below shows the percentage of day patients who have required an unplanned overnight stay or transfer to another hospital. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned overnight stays in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned overnight stays?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned overnight stays.

These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
Careful monitoring of patients during recovery
Use of consistent process for discharging patients home, to make sure they have fully recovered from the procedure
Review of each unplanned overnight stay to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Return to Theatre

Following a procedure in the operating theatre, patients sometimes need an unplanned second operation. This is called 'return to theatre'. There are many reasons why a patient may require a further operation, such as complications from the first procedure or an unrelated matter.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required a return to theatre after having an operation at Ashford Hospital. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of return to theatre in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

The graph shows that patients undergoing surgery at Ashford Hospital have been less likely to have an unexpected return to theatre compared with other Australian hospitals.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned returns to theatre?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned returns to theatre.

These include:

Pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure that all precautions are taken
Careful monitoring of patients in recovery
Review of all unplanned returns to theatre to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Admission to Intensive Care

Occasionally, a patient may have an unexpected reaction to the anaesthetic or a complication from surgery and will require an unplanned admission to Intensive Care.

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required an unplanned admission to the Intensive Care Unit within 24 hours of their operation. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate of unplanned admission to Intensive Care in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What we are doing to minimise unplanned admissions to Intensive Care?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned admissions to Intensive Care.

These include:

pre-admission assessment of patients with particular risk factors to ensure all precautions are taken
advance bookings of Intensive Care beds for patients who have specific risk factors
Critical Care and Operating Theatre staff meet on the day of surgery to discuss patients' post-operative needs.
review of each unplanned admission for Intensive Care to assess if there were any preventable factors

Unplanned Readmission to Hospital

The graph below shows the percentage of patients who have required an unplanned readmission to hospital within 28 days of their first admission. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate bars. This is compared to the rate of unplanned readmissions in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise unplanned readmissions?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise unplanned readmissions. These include:

Discharge processes which ensure that patients understand their medications and any post-operative instructions
Arranging appropriate follow-up care and ongoing appointments, e.g. with the General Practitioner or Physiotherapist
Review of each unplanned readmission to assess if there were any preventable factors

Babies with a Healthy Apgar Score

Following the birth of a baby, the Doctor or Midwife assesses the baby's overall condition, including heart rate, breathing, responsiveness, activity and skin colouration. A score known as the Apgar score is used to measure these signs at one minute and again at five minutes after birth. A healthy Apgar score is defined as 7 or above. The highest possible Apgar score is 10.

The graph below shows the percentage of babies who have a healthy Apgar score at five minutes after birth. The coloured bars represent Ashford Hospital's rate. This is compared to the rate at other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

Transfer of a Baby to Special Care

Childbirth is a natural, normal event, and although you may choose to have your baby in hospital, it doesn't mean that medical intervention will be required. Most babies are born without any difficulties, with the encouragement and support from our caring staff.

After a baby is born, hospital staff complete a thorough check of all aspects of the baby's health, including measuring their Apgar Score to check the baby's breathing, heart rate, colour, activity and temperature. If there are any concerns, the baby may be transferred to the Special Care Nursery - a specialised unit with expert staff who closely monitor and care for the baby. Sometimes these transfers are planned in advance, such as when the baby has a known medical condition.

At Ashford Hospital, we track the number of transfers of babies to Special Care Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care, to monitor the quality of our care. The right support before and during birth can help minimise the rate of these transfers, so we are constantly looking at ways to improve.

The graph below shows the percentage of full term babies born at Ashford Hospital that have required an admission to the Special Care Nursery or Neonatal Intensive Care. The rate for the past five years is shown in the coloured bars. This is compared to the rate in other Australian hospitals, shown in the grey bar.

What are we doing to minimise transfers to the Special Care Nursery?

Ashford Hospital employs a variety of strategies to minimise transfers to the Special Care Nursery. These include the following:

Before a baby is born, and during the pregnancy, the midwives and obstetricians carefully assess and monitor the mother and baby for any risk factors, such as gestational (pregnancy) diabetes.
The Theatre and Recovery Units use a consistent process for discharging mothers and babies from the delivery suite to the ward, to make sure they have fully recovered from the birth.
If a mother or baby has additional risk factors, sometimes a Special Care Nursery bed is planned and booked in advance, to make sure the post-natal monitoring is the best possible.
We review each admission to Special Care to check if there were any preventable factors.

Length of Stay for Childbirth

The birth of a baby is a very exciting time, and we want to provide our patients with the best possible hospital experience. Many new mothers choose to remain in hospital as long as possible after giving birth, particularly for a first baby. However, patients are free to go home earlier if they would like to.

The number of days women typically spend in hospital after having a baby will depend on whether they have had a vaginal delivery or a Caesarean section. In most cases, patients stay a little longer after a Caesarean section.

The graph below shows the average length of stay for childbirth at Ashford Hospital. The length of stay in other Australian private and public hospitals is also shown.

The MyHospitals section of the AIHW website lists all public and private hospitals in Australia, along with information about waiting times for elective surgery and emergency department access. Healthscope (ACHA's contracted manager) - had representation on the MyHospitals Development Advisory Committee.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:45:31 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:45:31 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.

2025-acha-website

ashford painting walls

Cardiologists

General

Electrophysiology

Interventional

Cardiothoracic Surgeons

Cardiology Resources

7 Things you need to know about heart health

Better heart health: 7 questions answered

1. What symptoms suggest I should see a doctor and who do I see?

2. What lifestyle factors impact heart health?

3. What are the other risk factors for heart disease?

4. What is a Heart Health Check?

5. What can I do to help prevent heart disease?

6. My GP recommended I see a cardiologist. What does a cardiologist do and what tests might they run?

7. I have more questions, who can I ask?

References

Book in with us

By choosing Ashford Hospital’s Maternity Service, you have access to our full range of services to support you through pregnancy, birth and into motherhood.

How to book

What costs are involved?

Private health insurance

Other costs

Insured patients

Self-insured patients

Payment methods

Our team

Our Paediatricians

We’re proud to work with a team of experienced and caring Paediatricians.

Our Obstetricians

At Ashford Hospital, we have highly experienced, qualified and supportive Obstetricians here to care for you and your baby. To arrange a consultation, first see your GP for a referral.

Going Home

It’s good to know when you’ll be back home, so you can start to organise the next stage of your bigger life.

Child restraints

Newborn Support Service

Settling and feeding

Your Stay

At Ashford Hospital, you and your family are our focus. Every birth is unique and each journey is personal. Our maternity team will work with you to understand your goals and provide the best possible care for you, your baby and your family.

Before you arrive

At hospital

Caring for you and baby in hospital

Safety

Our Facilities

Ashford Hospital is well equipped, with the highest level of private critical care and neonatal care available for mother and baby in South Australia.

Labour Suites

Operating Theatres

Postnatal Maternity Suite

Nursery

The Private Experience

Our maternity team will work with you to understand your goals and provide the best possible care for you, your baby and your family. We will support you throughout the process, every step of the way.

Private Dining

Servicing your room

Virtual Tour

Keen to see what our Ashford Maternity Unit looks like? Take a sneak peek with our virtual tour below.

Book a maternity tour

Education & Classes

The safety of our patients, babies and staff is our highest priority. Some of our classes continue to be available to view online, links are provided below.

Antenatal Education

Health and Nutrition During Pregnancy

Having and Caring for Your Baby

Establishing Breastfeeding

Partners Do Make a Difference

Postnatal Education and Support

Our Performance: The Memorial Hospital

At The Memorial Hospital, we take quality and safety seriously.

Accreditation

Patient Experience

Infection Rates

What are we doing to prevent infection?

What can you do to help?

Visitors

Hand Hygiene

What are we doing to improve hand hygiene?

What can you do to help?

Patient Falls

What are we doing to reduce the risk of patient falls?

What can you do to help?

Medication Errors

What are we doing to reduce the risk of medication errors?