Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is here to help if you have a question about, or on behalf of, a patient’s care. The team can help with a wide range of issues or direct you to another service if that's more appropriate.

Do you have a question about your appointment or care?

• The quickest and easiest way to resolve it is to speak to a member of staff in the service.
• If you are staying in hospital, ask to speak to your matron or ward sister/charge nurse.
• Please contact your service in the first instance but if you are unable to get in touch with the service and need help, please contact PALS.

What the PALS Team can do

• Listen to your comments, compliments or concerns about the services provided in our hospitals
• Help you to quickly resolve any problems or issues that you have about our hospital services
• Give you information about the formal complaints process and independent advocacy services

The PALS Team and the complaints process CANNOT look at

• Disciplinary issues
• 'Strike off' a health professional or suspend their registration
• Complaints about private treatment unless it was paid for by the NHS

If you have concerns or questions about another healthcare provider or your GP please see our helpful contacts list.

If you have any questions about accessing medical records, appointments, finding out if a patient is admitted, HR issues or work experience please see our helpful contact list.

How to Contact the PALS Team

By phone on 0114 271 2400 between 9.30am and 4pm weekdays (excluding Bank Holidays).

Our phone lines can sometimes be busy and we thank you for your patience whilst waiting. If you are able to wait you can call us back at another time or, if you prefer, you can contact the team by email and request that we contact you on a specified telephone number.

By emailing the PALS Team at sth.pals@nhs.net

By writing to us at the PALS Office, B Floor, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF

By visiting us at the PALS Offices at either:

• The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, B Floor, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, or
• The Northern General Hospital, Huntsman Reception, C Floor, Barnsley Road, Sheffield S5 7AT

When contacting the PALS Team please include the following details:

The Patient’s name and address

The Patient’s date of birth and hospital number, if known

The ward the patient is on if they are still in hospital

The Complainant’s and/or the Patient's phone number

The Complainant’s name and relationship to the Patient

Resolving Concerns

If you have any concerns that need to be resolved quickly, the PALS Team can help with that by putting you in touch with the service where your concern is. This may be a Service Manager, a Matron/Ward Manager or another member of staff who may be able to help you. The PALS Team will ask them to look into your concerns and ask them to contact you directly to discuss the issues. We aim to do resolve concerns within a few days.

If you would prefer, or we cannot resolve your concerns you do have the right to make a formal complaint.

Giving Feedback

Should you wish to give feedback and don’t need a reply, you can fill in a comment card. Our comments cards can be obtained in most departments and wards. These are quick and easy to fill in. You can either give it to a member of staff or hand it in to the nearest Reception desk. These comments allow us to improve our services for patients.

You can also give us feedback by completing one of our patient experience surveys: Click here