A new patient advice and liaison service (PALS) has been officially opened at Rotherham Hospital by The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust’s Chair, Dr Mike Richmond.
Based in the hospital’s main entrance, the service provides a point of contact for patients or relatives to seek advice or raise any concerns they may have about their care.
PALS aims to resolve issues at the point of contact before they escalate to complaints.
As well as helping with concerns, the PALS team is on hand to provide advice about services available. A large QR code board signposts visitors to local and national organisations that provide specialist support and guidance on a range of topics, from health conditions to support for carers.
PALS initially opened its doors in August and has been well received by patients and members of the public. The service has helped over 538 people since it opened, 264 of which were in October.
Samantha Robinson, Head of Patient Experience and Engagement, said: “We have been making a lot of improvements to our patients’ experience over the past couple of years, and this has been reflected in the most recent CQC inpatient survey results.
“We understand the importance of listening to our patients and their families about their experiences, and the new PALS is an important part of this. Having a space that members of the public can see and visit helps us to listen to feedback and take any necessary action informally before a situation escalates.”
Helen Dobson, Chief Nurse for the Trust, said: “As a Trust, we are really keen on making sure our patients receive the best possible care. It is important that we recognise what we are doing well and what needs to be improved.
“PALS provides patients, relatives, carers and visitors with a confidential space providing on-the-spot help, advice and support. The service will also help us to identify any themes and trends which we can then use to review our services, make changes and improve the overall patient experience.”
The PALS office is open 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, the Patient Experience Team is available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday by phone or email. There is the option to leave a voicemail after 5pm or over the weekend.