PALS [ Patient Advice and Liason Service ] is a service the government has obliged Health Trusts who deliver services to develop.
It is a support for people involved with the mental health services who meet a difficulty of service or who need advice in a particular situation.

The emphasis is on Patients ... but liaison should include family carers ?? because patients may not speak up fro themselves , may not recognise they are in difficulty

NHS realises there are times when people are bewildered and frustrated in their contact with the health service and then they may need somebody who can listen, make sure their concerns are registered and taken forward.

The Cornwall Partnership Trust who provide the mental health services in Cornwall have appointed A..a P......e to be the coordinator of this service in mental health, and she has set about making sure everybody knows about the service.
They will advise at the time of difficulty about particular matters of concern that need handling, and have the power to negotiate for a solution, and resolve the situation.

[ an example might be that a patient hasn't been able to get on with one Consultant and wants to change ]

It is not a service for establishing an official complaint, although PALS may help someone sort out what to do if they have a complaint to make officially.[ ..... that complaints route for carers is to the chief executive of the Partnership r or the Cornwall Primary Care trust

What PALS hopes to do is to feedback to the Trust, where there have been difficulties and get to a better service.

Time will tell

It's a patient service but ....

Nothing will happen unless carers use the service before or after they have had difficulties.

In the case of mentally ill patients they may not be able to get into the procedure - so carers may have to go ahead on their behalf -with their consent -or maybe , go along with the patient.
The current lead A P is aware of the difficulty patients might have in realising what she can do for them .
It will be worth while carers who are stuck that they speak with her service

So go to it - if you have had trouble - find out how it performs - let me know .

PALS

Manager Louise Dymoke is a fierce defender of the500-plus patients, carers and families
who bring their frustrations to the Trust's Patient Advice and Liaison Service every year.

"These people feel very dis-empowered and can easily give up," she says.
"We can be like a dog with a bone and keep on pressing on their behalf."............

........ "We give patients advice and we can liaise between teams," Louise says.

"It's our job to resolve concerns informally and quickly.
It's an on-the-spot advice service for any problems.

We can cut across the hierarchy and liaise on behalf of the patient or carer.
We're a one-stop shop to resolve their problems."

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