Who can help me if I have issues, concerns, or need to make a complaint about hospital services?
In the first instance please contact:-
Clinical Manager / Matron / Ward Manager / Department staff
You can ask to speak to the relevant clinical manager, ward sister, department manager, matron or consultant responsible for your care, or for the care of your relative. A suitable time can be arranged with any of the above so that you can discuss your concerns thoroughly.
There may be occasions when you feel you need to speak to someone separate from the ward, clinic or department. If this is the case, then please contact the hospital based Patient Experience/Patient Advice & Liaison Team.
Patient Experience / PALS Team
The Patient Experience / PALS Team will advise, help and assist a patient, relative or carer who needs to raise a concern/complaint, find out more about a problem or require guidance on who to speak to. The Patient Experience / PALS Team is here to listen to concerns / complaints, experiences or enquiries and help.
How does The Patient Experience / PALS Team work?
The Patient Experience/PALS Team is a confidential informal service for advising and supporting patients, relatives or carers. The Patient Experience / PALS Team can arrange meetings with members of staff responsible for a patient's care and help sort out problems quickly and, if required, support patients such as accompanying them to meetings. The Patient Experience / PALS Team can support patients in the hospital, talk to other organisations on their behalf and refer them to helpful outside services. The Patient Experience / PALS Team is a completely confidential service with no information being passed on to anyone else without the patient's consent.
How valuable is the Patient Experience / PALS Team?
The Patient Experience / PALS Team is the patient's route through hospital procedures to try to resolve problems. Listening to what may have gone wrong and can be improved upon - and what is going right - is also one of the ways that the hospital can gather information to give the best possible care.
Will my care be affected by speaking to the Patient Experience / PALS Team?
No, we cannot stress enough that your care will not be adversely affected by you speaking to the Patient Experience/PALS Team or raising a complaint. It very well might help to improve your care, because it is only by knowing and listening to what people have to say that we can make things better for you and others.
Will my care be affected by speaking to the Patient Experience / PALS Team?
No, we cannot stress enough that your care will not be adversely affected by you speaking to the Patient Experience/PALS Team or raising a complaint. It very well might help to improve your care, because it is only by knowing and listening to what people have to say that we can make things better for you and others.