Getting the help you need – How PALS are supporting patients in Birmingham

Healthwatch Birmingham undertook research into the quality of service provided by the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) in local hospitals after hearing about concerns.  They devised a survey to get people’s experience.  Altogether 482 responses were received between 28 August and 7 October 2019.

The findings of the survey suggest that PALS departments are valued and, generally, service users are pleased that PALS exist. However, the experiences we heard from those who have contacted PALS in Birmingham are varied. Our findings show that when PALS worked well, people’s needs were met: they felt understood and that their voices were heard. They also felt treated with dignity and respect. Where the service did not work well, people told us they felt powerless, and afraid that their treatment had been compromised and that the service was incapable of acting in their best interests.

The issues raised by service users in our survey indicate that their experience of the PALS service was not always in keeping with PALS’ core national standards. Service users suggested ideas for improving the service.  The issues raised by those people who had used PALS highlighted the importance of involving service users to improve the service and the PALS process. 

The report includes a response from the Birmingham NHS Trusts setting out what changes they intend to make to the PALS services in response to the findings of this report.