Patient Advice and Liaison Service

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, or PALS, is an English National Health Service body created to provide advice and support to NHS patients and their relatives and carers. The scheme was announced in the NHS Plan 2000. Pilot schemes were set up in 2001, with full nationwide implementation complete by 2002.

Functions

The functions of PALS are to:

  • Be identifiable and accessible to patients, their carers, friends and families
  • Provide on the spot help in every Trust with the power to negotiate immediate solutions or speedy resolution of problems
  • Act as a gateway to appropriate independent advice and advocacy support from local and national sources
  • Provide accurate information to patients, carers and families, about theTrust’s services, and about other health related issues
  • Act as a catalyst for change and improvement by providing the Trust with information and feedback on problems arising and gaps in services
  • Operate within a local network with other PALS in their area and work across organisational boundaries
  • Support staff at all levels within the Trust to develop a responsive culture[1]

The service can, for instance, act as a first point of contact for complaints, as well as providing information on NHS services and available treatment options.[2] In some areas, PALS also provide complaint handling for hospitals. PALS services are therefore not always independent.[3]

Offices

Each NHS trust has at least one PALS office, although many have more, with Durham PCT having the largest number: five (albeit four shared with Darlington PCT). An individual PALS office will therefore cover either a trust, or a geographical area, and there may be more than one possible point of contact.

References
  1. "PALS Core national standards and evaluation framework" (PDF). NHS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  2. "What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)?". NHS Choices. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  3. Improving Independent Complaints Advocacy in Health and Social Care: Background and Position Briefing. Healthwatch England. November 2013.
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