FAQs
Patient Advice & Liaison Service: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Patient Advice & Liaison Service?
What can PALS do for me?
Is PALS a confidential service?
How can I contact PALS?
How do I get help out of hours?
What services does NHS Manchester provide?
How do I register with a GP?
Can I ask for a home visit from my GP?
How do I make a complaint?
Can I see my medical records?
How do I get medical help out of hours?
How do I get more involved in improving health services?
1. What is the Patient Advice & Liaison Service?
The Patient Advice & Liaison Service, or PALS, is a confidential information and advice service for patients, relatives and carers.
We are here to help you if you need information or advice about local health services. We can also provide practical help if you experience any problems whilst using our services. We will strive to help you resolve your problems or answer your concerns as quickly as possible.
2. What can PALS do for me?
- Listen to your concerns and suggestions.
- Provide on-the-spot information on local health services.
- Advise & support patients, their families and their carers.
- Help sort out problems quickly on your behalf.
- Liaise with staff, managers, other PALS teams or organisations on your behalf to resolve your concerns.
- Help you to contact independent advice or advocacy organisations if you want independent assistance with your concerns.
- Offer advice on the complaints process and provide information on who to contact for practical help to make a complaint.
- Record any feedback and comments you wish to make and learn from your experience.
3. Is PALS a confidential service?
All information provided to PALS is confidential. We will only contact other people in order to resolve the issues you raise with your permission.
Information relating to your concerns will be held on a database, which will only be accessed by PALS staff. This information will be used to monitor the type and number of concerns received by PALS in order to help improve our services to you. All information contained within monitoring reports is anonymous and confidential.
4. How can I contact PALS?
If you would like help support or advice from PALS you can:
Call us:
Freephone 0800 015 1462, Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm.
If you get through to an answerphone, this means that members of the PALS team are dealing with other enquiries. Please leave a short message and someone will get back to you as soon as they can.
Write to us:
Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)
Room 3, 1st Floor
Higher Openshaw Primary Care Centre
Ashton Old Road
Openshaw
Manchester
M11 1JG
Email us:
PALS@manchester.nhs.uk
5. How do I get help out of hours?
Outside of office hours and during weekends and public holidays you can leave a message on the PALS confidential answerphone by ringing the telephone number above. We aim to give an initial reply to messages left during these times on the next available working day.
If you feel you need health information and advice now, you can visit the NHS Direct website nhsdirect.nhs.uk or phone their helpline on 0845 4647. NHS Direct is a 24-hour nurse-led helpline providing confidential healthcare advice and information on:
- What to do if you're feeling ill
- Health concerns for you and your family
- Local health services
- Self-help and support organisations
- Calls to NHS Direct are charged at local rates.
6. What services does NHS Manchester provide?
Details of your nearest doctor, dentist, optician, pharmacict, walk in centre and a list of other services can be accessed here.
7. How do I register with a GP?
In the past different GP Practices have had different rules about how patients can register with them. In Manchester we have done something about this and aim to make it as simple and straightforward as possible for patients to register.
Please click here for information about the registration process.
8. Can I ask for a home visit from my GP?
If you feel you need your GP to see you at home, you should ring the surgery and request a home visit. However, patients do not have the right to home visits. The GP will usually assess your condition over the telephone and decide if it is necessary. Home visits are at the GP's discretion and will be based on the assessment of the need of the individual patient concerned.
9. How do I make a complaint?
If you are unhappy about any health services you can make a formal complaint. The NHS has a procedure it follows to investigate complaints and make sure patients receive full answers to the issues they raise. More information on NHS Manchester Complaints Procedure can be accessed via the complaints page.
10. Can I see my medical records?
‘Medical records’ are any records made by (or on behalf of) a health professional about your physical or mental health or a condition. It could be a paper or electronic record and may include case notes, scans, x-rays, etc.
When you ask about your medical records, you are entitled to be told:
- If personal information is held about you
- The purposes for which it is being held
- Who the information may be passed on to
If you are entitled to see your medical records, you will see the record itself or a relevant part of it. You will also be entitled to a copy of the record. There are some exceptions to this and there may be a charge for copies.
We produce a guide booklet entitled: “Who can see medical records?” with further information on who can see records, as well as how to arrange to see records and what charges you may have to pay.
To download this leaflet, please click here
11. How do I get medical help out of hours?
Your surgery will have arrangements for GP services when the surgery is closed. You should ring your surgery and you will receive instructions on how to contact the out of hours GP service.
You can ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647 24 at any time of day. NHS Direct is a 24-hour nurse-led advice and health information service, providing confidential information on:
- What to do if you're feeling ill
- Health concerns for you and your family
- Local health services
- Self-help and support organisations
You can also visit the NHS Direct website nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
In an emergency you should ring 999 for an ambulance or can attend the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) of your local hospital. NHS Choices have a list of local A&E departments.
12. How do I get more involved in improving health services?
There are many ways you can get involved in improving health services in your area. Why not take a look around the site to see what is going on to involve local people? You can go to our Talking Health website and also can share your views with us - contact the team on talkinghealth@manchester.nhs.uk.
Alternatively, Manchester Link is a body independent of the NHS which provides a forum for local people to voice concerns or issues around health and healthcare in Manchester. If you are interested in becoming a member of this group or would like further information, please contact: