How can we help you?

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is confidential and here to help and advise you on the health services we provide. We can:

• offer information and advice
• listen to suggestions
• pass on your compliments
• listen to concerns and complaints.

By working closely with all healthcare professionals, we are able to direct you to the most appropriate service and resolve matters as quickly as possible.

We are unable to answer queries relating to specific health conditions. If your enquiry relates to one of these, please contact your GP or NHS 111 by phoning 111 or visiting www.nhs.uk/111

What if I want to complain?

• If you have a complaint or concern, the quickest way to resolve it is to speak to the staff, hospital or manager of the service. If they can resolve the problem straightaway, they will.
• If your concern is not resolved or you are unhappy with the response you received, please contact us. We will be able to advise and help you make a complaint, if required.
• It is important to remember that if someone is making a complaint on behalf of a patient, we need the patient’s consent to reply.
• If we cannot resolve your complaint straightaway, we will allocate a case manager who will work with you to agree how best to resolve your complaint.
• Complaints about the service or treatment you have received from us should normally be made within one year, to make sure we can investigate effectively.

If you want to make a complaint, please let us know:

• your name, address, email (if possible) and a daytime phone number
• the full name, address, email (if possible) and phone number of the patient, if it is someone other than yourself. We will also need their written permission to investigate the complaint
• a summary of what happened with dates, if possible
• a list of questions you would like answered
• what you want to happen as a result of your complaint
• permission for us to copy the complaint to the people who need to take part in the investigation.

You will be treated with courtesy and respect at all times by NHS staff and making a complaint about NHS services will not adversely affect the care that you or your relatives are given.

We welcome and value your comments, concerns, compliments and complaints as they help us to continuously improve the quality of services we provide.

The NHS Constitution

The NHS Constitution sets out your rights as a patient and explains the commitments the NHS has made to providing you with a high-quality service.

Organisations providing NHS care must take account of the NHS Constitution when treating you, so you may find it helpful to refer to it if you are thinking about making a complaint.

For details go to www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

Useful contacts and information

Health Complaints Advocacy Service (HCAS)

If you need help or support to make your complaint, you can contact HCAS. It provides a free service, independent of the NHS.

Phone: 0330 440 9000

Email: info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk

Web: www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk

Address: SEAP, PO Box 375, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 9HU

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Once you have tried to resolve your complaint with us, if you remain unhappy, you have the right to go to the ombudsman:

Phone: 0345 015 4033

Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

Web: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Address: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

Access to medical records

You have the right to see your own medical records. Please contact our Legal Service, which will send you an application form.

Phone: 01233 667982

Email: kcht.legal@nhs.net

Address: Legal Services Department, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, Trinity House, 110-120 Upper Pemberton, Ashford, Kent TN25 4AZ

Patient Care Charter

Our charter is for every patient, family member, visitor, member of staff and any other person who has access to, or an interest in, our services. To make sure that you receive the best possible care we have five pledges:

• We will support our staff to deliver excellent care every time.
• We will make every contact a positive experience.
• We will aim to understand your needs and aspire to develop our services around your expectations.
• We will strive to make the environment our services are delivered from welcoming, safe and accessible.
• We will continually measure and learn from patient experience.

The NHS feedback and complaints procedure