Patient Advice and Liaison Service – PALS
We're here to help
As a patient, relative or carer you might want to turn to someone at the Royal Devon for help, advice or support. This is where our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS for short) comes in.
PALS is available to anyone using the Royal Devon's services, including the RD&E Hospital, North Devon Hospital, community hospitals, specialist centres, and community services.
We offer confidential advice, support and information. Your feedback assists us in developing better quality, higher standards of healthcare and improved experiences for all of our service users, carers and families.
Further advice is available here: Help us to get better at what we do
What can we do?
The PALS team provides help in many ways. For example, they can:
- Offer you non clinical confidential advice, support and information
- Signpost you to the range of services that are available
- Liaise with other hospital staff and with relevant organisations where appropriate to arrange prompt solution to any queries or concerns you may have
The PALS team can also give you information about:
- The NHS complaints procedure, including how to get independent help if you want to make a complaint
- Support groups outside the NHS
- PALS will also feed your views back to the relevant areas, helping the Royal Devon to see things from your perspective and improve services in response to your feedback.
PALS aim to respond quickly and sensitively to all queries and provide the best support possible. We can talk to senior staff on your behalf and offer advice and information if you are having difficulties with our services.
We can advise you and inform you how to make a formal complaint about our services and give you information about the NHS complaints advocacy service.
The PALS team adhere to the PALS internal professional standards which can be found in the complaints policy.
How to contact PALS
If you have a concern or query about yourself, a relative or a friend in our care, we recommend you contact the Clinical Nurse Manager (CNM) of the ward or service providing the care. They are best placed to help you and to put things right as soon as possible. If you want help with who to contact or how to do this, PALS can help you.
You can contact PALS by telephone on: 01392 402093 or 01271 314090 or via email: rduh.pals@nhs.net
An answerphone is in operation during the following times:
- When staff are speaking with another patient
- When staff are taking a telephone call
- Outside of office hours
Please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.
You can also visit the PALS team in person.
Our office at RD&E is located just ahead of the main entrance, just past the reception desk.
In North Devon, please use the main entrance and go straight ahead. The PALS office is on your left, just after the Co-op shop.
By post: You can write to us at
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Patient Advice & Liaison (PALS) Raleigh Park |
PALS |
Useful information and links
How to access your health records
Freedom of Information requests
Advocacy service - The Devon Advocacy Consortium about helping with your complaint, you can contact them by emailing devonadvocacy@livingoptions.org or calling 01392 822377.