PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) Awareness week 2014 got underway yesterday, a week dedicated to raising awareness of the service in the NHS and improving patient experience.

West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (WECCG) has an in-house team who aim to ensure patients have the support and advice they need when using the services the CCG commissions.

PALS provide free, informal, confidential help and advice for patients, carers and their families with the aim of making a genuine difference to the overall quality of the care people receive from their local health service.

Patients using PALS can benefit from having their concerns, suggestions and queries heard, receiving guidance on how to make formal complaints and advice on independent support and advocacy services. It also allows patients the opportunity to provide praise where they have had a positive experience and offer compliments to those who have gone the extra mile.

During PALS awareness week, events are being held at local hospitals which will provide patients, relatives, carers and staff with the opportunity to meet the Patient Experience team face-to-face and find out more about what services they could benefit from.

Dr Rob Gerlis, chair of West Essex CCG said: “These events are to remind people the Patient Experience team are available to offer advice and help to people using health and care services in west Essex. We want to use PALS awareness week 2014 to encourage people to give feedback on the services we commission, ensuring real-life experiences are incorporated in developments, and used to improve the quality of care in local health services.”

Members of the team will be hosting clinics and mobile PALS sessions at the inpatient and outpatient areas of Princess Alexandra Hospital, St Margaret’s Hospital and Saffron Walden Community Hospital at varying times over the next few days, details of which are below.

There will also be a PALS information stand outside the restaurant of PAH in the afternoons of Wednesday and Friday where leaflets, pens, notepads and shopper bags to spread the word about PALS will be available.
The close working with providers during PALS week is a positive step towards wider PALS engagement plans.

Details of the events are:

Wednesday 18 June – 9:30am – 2:30pm Mobile PALS in inpatient wards and areas at Princess Alexandra Hospital
Wednesday 18 June – 3pm-5pm PALS stand in restaurant at Princess Alexandra Hospital
Thursday 19 June – 9:30am – 12:30pm Mobile PALS in outpatients department of St. Margaret’s Hospital
Thursday 19 June – 10am – 5pm PALS clinic in inpatient areas of St Margaret’s Hospital (linking in with SEPT)
Friday 20 June – 11am – 3pm PALS clinic at Saffron Walden Community Hospital
Friday 20 June – 9:30am – 2:30pm Mobile PALS in outpatient areas and departments at Princess Alexandra Hospital
Friday 20 June – 3pm – 5pm PALS stand in restaurant at Princess Alexandra Hospital

To contact the PALS service please call 01992 566122/3, Freephone 0800 7833396 or email [email protected]. PALS is available Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:00pm and a confidential voicemail is available outside of these hours.