The Patient Advice and Liaison Service provides support to patients, carers and relatives, representing their views and resolving local difficulties on-the spot by working in partnership with Trust staff. The PALS Team focuses on improving services to NHS patients and every NHS Acute Trust and Primary Care Trust has a PALS to perform three critical roles

•Helping to resolve the patients’ concerns quickly and effectively
•Providing patients with information
•Improving the outcome of care in the process

PALS does not replace the Complaints Process, this is a separate system. Patients may choose to speak to the PALS team first, especially where the concern / issue can be easily or quickly resolved, or where they need advice on how to proceed with a concern.

The service aims to:

•Offer advice and support to patients, their families and carers
•Listen to your concerns, suggestions or queries
•Help sort out your concerns and queries as speedily as possible
•Explain what you can expect from us and how long it is likely to take
•Provide balanced and impartial information and advice
•Use anonymised information from our contact with you to improve hospital services for the future

Staff in the NHS must be allowed to carry out their work without fear, abuse, threats, violence or racism. We therefore ask that your commitment to us is that you behave in a considerate way so we are able to give you and other clients the standard of service you would expect.

We welcome your comments on the services both the Trust and PALS provide and all contacts are confidential.

As a Trust, we do endeavour to provide patients with a high standard of professional care and letters of thanks are greatly appreciated. PALS would be happy to pass on any such correspondence to the relevant department or staff member.

Contact information:

Queen’s Hospital
Rom Valley Way
Romford
Essex
RM7 0AG
DDI: 01708 435454
Fax: 01708 503604

King George Hospital
Barley Lane
Goodmayes
Ilford
IG33 8YB
DDI : 0208 970 8234
Fax: 020 8598 2324

Both sites are supported by a 24 hour answerphone which can be contacted on 0800 389 8324 and a dedicated mailbox PALS@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk

PALS is available as a telephone or walk-in service:

Telephone service: Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm
Walk-in service: Monday – Friday, 10am-12noon and 2pm-4pm