Patient advice and liaison service (PALS)

What is the Patient Advice and Liaison Service?

We know that it can be a worrying and confusing time when you or someone you know is unwell. If you have concerns or questions about any aspect of your care, or the service you receive, it is best to first speak with a member of staff involved with your/their care. If you find that staff cannot help you, or you are not comfortable speaking with them, you can contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

If you have any questions, problems or concerns about your care or the care of the person you are looking after you can contact us and we can help you to obtain answers to your queries. The service is free and completely confidential. If we cannot help you immediately, we will take details of your problem and ask the relevant department or ward to contact you. If the concern you bring to us is about another trust we will contact the relevant trust so that they help you, or we will give you the information you need to contact the correct trust. If necessary we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national based support agencies.

What can we do for you?

• Give on the spot help for patients, carers, families and friends. If you are worried about any part of your own, your friend’s or your family’s care we can help to sort the problem out or tell you who can help you. We can help with any problem big or small.
• Give you information – we can tell you about the services available within our Trust. We can also tell you how to make a formal complaint about the service you have used.
• Tell you where to get help – There are many organisations such as local support groups and voluntary groups that are able to give you advice. PALS can tell you about these groups and how you can contact them.
• Refer you to independent advocacy services – PALS have details of POWhER who provide free and independent advocacy that will be able to support you when you need to make a formal complaint.
• Listen to what you think of our hospital services – If you have anything to say about the service you have received then you can tell us. We will make sure this information is used to improve patient care in the future.
• Take details of praise and compliments you wish to pass on in relation to the care and treatment you have received.

What we can’t do?

• We cannot offer a counselling service
• We are unable to give you detailed medical information or a medical diagnosis
• We are unable to change or affect a medical decision that has been made
• We will not investigate formal complaints but we will inform and support people who wish to use the NHS complaints procedure. There is no formal requirement for anyone to use PALS first if they wish to make a formal complaint.
• We are unable to provide copies of patient medical records. Please contact our access to health records offices.

Contact us by email

If you would like to contact PALS by email you can email [email protected]

Contact us by telephone

We have two front of house PALS services located at Lincoln County Hospital and Pilgrim Hospital.

Online form

Complete the online feedback form

In writing

Patient Experience Team
Grantham & District Hospital
101 Manthorpe Road
GRANTHAM
Lincolnshire
NG31 8DG

Opening times

The PALS team are not always in the office, or may be already helping with another query, so there is an answerphone on the phone line. Our standard is to reply to all messages left on the answerphone within one working day, although most of the time we will reply much sooner than that, so please do leave a message. The team are not available on public holidays. If you are an inpatient, we can visit you on the ward to discuss your concerns.

• Monday to Friday 9am – 3pm

Accessibility information

To find out more about accessibility of our public areas, please see our Accessable access guides.