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

HEALTHWATCH

From 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

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