Support from Different Organisations
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and other support
LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL
Navigating the NHS
The patient advice and liaison service (PALS) in each hospital can support you if you are struggling to navigate hospital care and the local Healthwatch can help you navigate care, in particular, outside hospital.
As the NHS suggest PALS
“Provides help in many ways. For example, it can:
- help you with health-related questions
- help resolve concerns or problems when you’re using the NHS
- tell you how to get more involved in your own healthcare
Can give you information about:
- the NHS
- support groups outside the NHS”
“What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)?” From the NHS website. Retrieved 10th August 2022
As Healthwatch Bucks suggests
“We are Signposters – helping you work out where you need to go to get the services you need”
“What we do.” From Healthwatch Bucks website. Retrieved 10th August 2022
Making a complaint about the NHS
You can also use PALS and Healthwatch to help with complaints but in a complex system it is always better to see if you can first resolve your problem directly with the relevant department in hospital or organisation in the community. Much of the information you need to help you understand the complaints process and the support available can be found under
As the NHS suggest PALS
“Can give you information about the NHS complaints procedure, including how to get independent help if you want to make a complaint. PALS also helps to improve the NHS by listening to your concerns and suggestions.”
As Healthwatch Bucks suggests
“We are listening – and focused on understanding what your views are on health & social care services”
Contacting PALS and Healthwatch
How to contact PALS and Healthwatch is explained below:
PALS: COMMONLY USED local HOSPITALS
From Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe hospitals, and the community hospitals at Marlow, Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross, Buckingham and Thame (Buckinghamshire NHS Healthcare Trust)
PALS – patient advice and liaison service for patients using Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust (including Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe hospitals, and the community hospitals at Marlow, Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross, Buckingham and Thame)Patient Advice and Liaison Service – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
From Wexham Park Hospital (NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust)
PALS – patient advice and liaison service for patients using Wexham, Heatherwood and Frimley PALS – patient advice and liaison service | NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust
From the Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
PALS – patient advice and liaison service for patients using Hillingdon Hospital and Mount Vernon Hospital PALS: Patient Advice and Liaison Service | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
From the John Radcliffe, Churchill Hospital ,Nuffield Orthopedic Centre and Horton General hospital (Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust)
PALS – patient advice and liaison service for patients using John Radcliffe, Churchill Hospital ,Nuffield Orthopedic Centre and Horton General hospital Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – Oxford University Hospitals
From Royal Berkshire Hospital and Prince Charles Eye Unit (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust)
PALS – patient advice and liaison service for patients using Royal Berkshire Hospital and Prince Charles Eye Unit Patient Advice and Liason Service (PALS) – Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
From St Mark’s Hospital and academic institute
PALS – patient advice and liaison service for patients using St Mark’s Hospital Patient Advice and Liaison service (PALS) | LNWH
From Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS foundation trust
PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) – Milton Keynes University Hospital
Always try to resolve issues with the hospital department you are dealing with before using PALS, as the PALS resource has a finite capacity.
Find Pals services
From the NHS
Find Patient advice and liaison services (PALS) services Find Patient advice and liaison services (PALS) services – NHS
Always try to resolve issues with the hospital department you are dealing with before using PALS, as the PALS resource has a finite capacity.
HEALTHWATCH
From Healthwatch Bucks
- What we do What we do – Healthwatch Bucks
- “Part of our role is to provide advice and information to people that live or work in Buckinghamshire, or who use services in the county. Primarily, we can give you information to help you access local health and care services. We call this signposting. For example, how to choose a care home or how to get physiotherapy through the NHS.” Signposting & complaints – Healthwatch Bucks
- Contact us- Helpline: Contact us – Healthwatch Bucks
HEALTHWATCH
From Healthwatch Bucks
- Making a complaint about health or social care in Bucks Making a complaint about health or social care in Bucks – Healthwatch Bucks
- Free, independent advocacy services that can help you make a complaint Advocacy services – Healthwatch Bucks
- Contact us- Helpline: Contact us – Healthwatch Bucks
NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL
NATIONAL HELPLINE
From the Patients Association
“Our helpline provides specialist information, advice and signposting to help you make sense of the world of health and social care” Helpline – 0800 345 7115 | The Patients Association
FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
Patient Advice and Liaison Service
From the NHS
What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)? What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)? – NHS
Healthwatch
From Healthwatch
What we do What we do | Healthwatch
