The Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) offers help, support and advice to patients, relatives or carers, about any issues relating to Derby Hospitals.
The PALS team can offer you immediate advice, or point you in the right direction for support services, information or other organisations, which might be helpful to you.
Contact us
Freephone: 0800 783 7691
Office: 01332 785156
Opening times: 10.00am - 4.00pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Public/Bank Holidays)
We value your suggestions and feedback, and the PALS team will be happy to forward your comments – whether good or bad – onto the relevant member of staff for action. This helps us to make continuous improvements to the services we offer to all our patients, relatives and carers. These pages will tell you more about the service we offer, and how to access it.
Compliments
We like to hear when we do well. If you have a good experience, tell us about it.
Comments
Your views are important to us and can help to develop our services
If you have any comments or suggestions on any aspect of our services you can complete the comment form online (link) or pick up one of our comment forms. These can be found in wards and departments and at reception desks. Upon completion the forms can be posted in the comments box.
Concerns & complaints
Whether you are a patient, relative or carer, if you have a problem, concern or complaint, please raise them initially with staff in the relevant area.
Very often they can be dealt with straight away and the staff will do all they can to resolve them. However, if you prefer to speak to someone not directly involved in the care being provided you can speak to a PALS Officer.
A PALS Officer will listen and discuss with you the most appropriate way in which to take your concerns forward and how they will provide feedback.
However, you may prefer to put your concerns in writing. Write directly to our Chief Executive, Mrs Susan D James at The Royal Derby Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, DE22 3NE.
Your complaint will be acknowledged and investigated and you will receive a response in a manner that is appropriate for you. This may take the form of a personal meeting with senior Trust representatives or a formal response in writing from the Chief Executive. The Trust will endeavour to respond in a timeframe that we have agreed with you.
Single complaints procedure
There is now a single complaints procedure across health and social care. This is a two stage process consisting of local resolution and the Health Service Ombudsman.
The focus of this process is to provide a streamlined approach to feedback from patients, their relatives and carers.
If you remain unhappy with the response to your complaint following the investigations carried out by the Trust, you will be advised to contact the Health Service Ombudsman (HSO). The HSO can undertake an independent investigation into your complaint and will work closely with the Trust to resolve any outstanding issues. Please find below contact details for the HSO:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Helpline: 0345 015 4033
www.ombudsman.org.uk
