What exactly is PALS?

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a service that has been set up by the NHS for patients to have a voice in their local health services. You can contact PALS if you want:

• Information and advice about local health services
• To raise an issue or concern about a local health service
• Information about organisations outside the NHS (including ICAS)

So what does PALS do?

• Helps to resolve patient issues and concerns quickly and informally
• Helps patients to speak up for themselves
• Provides information to help patients get the best from their health services
• Feeds back the information given by patients to senior managers, which may help to improve the quality of health services

What are the differences between PALS and ICAS?

PALS	ICAS
PALS staff are NHS employees	ICAS is an independent organisation, therefore not answerable to the NHS
PALS are there - on the spot! You will find PALS staff in every Hospital Trust and Primary Care Trust	ICAS have offices nationwide, in easily accessible locations
PALS will help you to deal with an informal concern	ICAS will support you to deal with more formal complaints

PALS and ICAS work closely together to try to resolve a complaint quickly and to the satisfaction of the patient. It is always your choice which service they prefer to use.

Both PALS and ICAS will refer a patient on to each other if it is more appropriate that you use the other service and if the patient consents to this course of action.