Don't be afraid to 'Raise It': Collaboration is key to positive health outcomes

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Conversations hum in the background, the vital signs monitor shows a rhythmical line of your loved one's heart rate and the hospital room is comfortable, yet something doesn't feel right.

It may be unnoticeable to someone who doesn't know them, but you notice a change in your loved one's condition that worries you. This could be as simple as changes in how they are looking, breathing, talking, or acting.

This is when you should follow the Raise It process.

Raise It is the simple process used in NSW public hospitals and health services to help patients, carers and family members get help fast. You don't need medical knowledge. You don't need to be certain. You know your loved one best.

Emergency specialist and clinical director at Emergency Care Institute, Agency for Clinical Innovation, Dr Trevor Chan said people should never feel nervous or worried about raising their concerns about their loved one's condition getting worse.

"The observations of people closest to the patient are invaluable," Dr Chan said.

"As a clinician, you're often meeting someone for the first time in an emergency setting and all you know about them is what you're told and what's in their health record.

"The information from carers and family is hugely valuable especially for groups who are less able to speak for themselves like children, the elderly or people with different levels of health literacy.

"We can easily see vitals like pulse, breathing rate, blood pressure and how they look but we are relying on input from someone who knows them better for other signs of stress, discomfort and what's normal for them."

The Raise It process has three steps to ensure concerns are listened to and acted on. If you are worried you or a loved one's condition is getting worse, follow the Raise it process.

Start by talking to a nurse, midwife, doctor or health worker about your concerns.

"Staff understand that a concern isn't a complaint and that people don't raise things unless they are worried," Dr Chan said.

"We see people using the Raise It process as a success and we want to encourage collaboration between the patient, their carers and the people providing health care."

Still concerned? Ask the nurse or midwife in charge for a clinical review.

"This is a more formal process and works through mechanisms within the clinical emergency response system," Dr Chan said.

"A nurse, doctor or midwife will review the patient and make an assessment on what needs to happen next.

"It is important for people to feel empowered to be able to ask for help. At each step concerns are looked at and managed accordingly so that the concerns of the family member are relieved or the patient is put at ease."

If you are still worried, call NSW Health Raise It on 1800 777 333, a centralised number, which connects you to a senior health worker.

"Hopefully, most people never get to make a Raise It call as the issue has been managed and dealt with at the time and any concerns are looked into straight away but the number is always there if needed," Dr Chan said.

The next time you find yourself sitting next to a loved one in an emergency setting worrying about their condition getting worse don't hesitate to Raise It and have your concerns addressed as soon as possible.

"We want people to know their concerns are valid and will be listened to and acted upon," Dr Chan said.

"Their knowledge and understanding of the people they are looking after is important and valued."

The Raise It process was established in 2013 and is available in all NSW public hospitals and health services.

Get more information on how the Raise It process works here.