Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) policy Incorporating Have Your Say (HYS) First Issued May 04 by Birkenhead & Wallasey PCT. Responsibility of Wirral PCT since October 2006 Issue Purpose of Issue/Description of Change Version 3 Regular policy review point to reflect the ongoing development of the service. The service aims to provide a wide ranging and accessible method for making enquiries and raising concerns about local NHS services. Planned Review Date 2010 Named Responsible Officer:- Approved by Date PALS/PPI Co-ordinator General Policy Committee July 2008 Policy File:- General Policy Impact Assessment Screening Complete- September 2006 Full Impact Assessment Required- No No 23 Postal address; PALS Office Lauries Centre 136 Claughton Road, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 6EY E-Mail paul.mcgovern@wirralpct.nhs.uk Phone 0151-647-4251 Fax0151-650-0335 Page 1 of 12
Contents 1. Introduction 2. The aim of the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) 3. The roles within the PALS service 4. The responsibilities of PALS 5. Core Standards 6. Operational hours and service location 7. Client group 8. Access for clients 9. PALS and complaints 10. Confidentiality 11. Storage of information 12. Archiving and document retrieval 13. Reporting 14. What if PALS does not fulfil expectations 15. Equality & diversity 16. Other languages available on request Appendix 1 Have Your Say Process Diagram 1 Have Your Say Flowchart Appendix 2 Policy audit questions Page 2 of 12
WIRRAL PCT PATIENT ADVICE AND LIAISON SERVICE POLICY 1. Introduction Chapter 10 of The NHS Plan, 2000 set out the Government s ambitions to create a patient centred NHS, giving patients a greater say in their care and the way in which the NHS works. Consultation on the NHS Plan demonstrated that while patients wanted support after things had gone wrong, they also really wanted help while things were going wrong, to sort things out on the spot. By April 2002, every NHS Trust was required to establish a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (10.17, The NHS Plan), that would provide an identifiable person [the patient] can turn to if they have a problem or need information while they are using hospital and other NHS services (10.8 The NHS Plan). PALS also have a role in delivering Section 242 and 244 of the NHS Act 2006, Involving Public and Patients in Healthcare, through its direct contact with Patients concerns and quality control in improving service delivery. 2. The Aim of Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) The Patient Advice and Liaison Service is a core service provided by all primary and secondary care NHS Trusts. At Wirral PCT, PALS will act as a facilitator to handle the concerns of patients, family and carers, with the power to negotiate immediate solutions when possible to do so. PALS will also provide feedback on common themes and concerns, which patients, their carers and families bring to their attention and be a catalyst for improvements and change. The key aim for PALS is to continually improve the patient experience of health care services, effect change and improve quality. The aim of this policy is to ensure that concerns are handled thoroughly without delay and with the aim of satisfying the patient whilst being fair and open with all those involved. The Trust recognises that there is a need to view all patient concerns positively as a valuable contribution to the development of better quality healthcare. The Trust is therefore committed to identifying lessons learned from concerns raised so that services may be improved. If such concerns highlight service or system problems PALS have direct access to incident report forms which can be fed directly to the Risk Management Working Group and reviewed on a weekly basis. Equally if either a patient or PALS felt that by raising a concern, this action was having a negative effect on any level of service or treatment PALS would report matters through the risk management and clinical governance processes. Page 3 of 12
3. Roles within the PALS Service Executive Lead The PALS service is based within the PCT s Public Health Department and executive level responsibility is the remit of the Joint Director of Public Health who has organisational lead for Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). Service Lead The PALS/PPI Co-ordinator is the senior manger who is responsible for all aspects of the service which includes line management of the team and operation of the office base. Case Management The role of the PALS team deals with specific patient enquiries and liaises directly with service providers and health care professionals on behalf of patients. Support Staff The Have Your Say (HYS) Co-ordinator and the Administrative Assistant deal with telephone and front of house enquiries. The Have Your Say Co-ordinator records specific information about NHS services across Wirral and liaises with the relevant organisations with direct feedback and reporting. 4. The Responsibilities of PALS To be identifiable and accessible to patients, their carers, friends and families. To provide on the spot help whenever possible, with the power to negotiate immediate solutions or speedy resolution of problems. To listen and provide relevant information and support to help resolve service users concerns quickly and efficiently. To liaise with staff and managers, and where appropriate, with other PALS services, and health and social care organisations, to facilitate a resolution. To refer service users, when appropriate, to independent advice and advocacy support from local and national sources, including Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS). To provide accurate information to patients, carers and families about the Trust s services. To submit regular anonymised report to the Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) Committee. To establish and maintain clear formal routes for feeding back emerging themes to Clinical Governance and Quality and to individual departments. To operate within a local network with other PALS within the main geographical areas covered by the Trust, to ensure a seamless service for patients who move between and use different parts of the NHS for the care they need. Page 4 of 12
5. Core Standards The PALS service is identifiable and accessible to everyone in the community served by the Trust PALS is a confidential NHS service Everyone who contacts PALS will be given information about options available to resolve an issue or concern PALS enables people to access information about Trust services, and information about health and social care All PALS queries/concerns are received through the Have Your say process and acknowledged by the next working day if possible. If that is not achievable, acknowledgement will be made no later than three days after receipt of enquiry (see Appendix 1, diagram 1) If PALS are unable to resolve the query at this point, it will keep people informed of progress and set realistic timescales for resolution in most cases this expected to be within days, but in the extreme a full response and if possible resolution should be achieved by 21 days. PALS is fully integrated into clinical governance arrangements, and into planning and performance management structures PALS plays a key role in bringing about a change of culture in the NHS that puts patients at the heart of service delivery PALS informs others about its services and works in partnership with relevant services and organisations PALS will involve its users, where appropriate, in the planning, development and monitoring of PALS PALS staff are competent to provide the services they offer 6. Operational Hours and Service Location The service is available Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. However, the service will also be flexible to accommodate those who cannot access or make contact during these hours. If a client wishes to speak to one of the PALS team outside of normal office hours, this can be organised by prior arrangement. The PALS service appreciate that an office based service in the centre of Birkennhead is not convenient for all Wirral citizens nor is the option of calling into that base, either by drop in or appointment, everyone s choice of contact. On this basis we have developed a service that offers a full range of communication methods that are available, accessible, convenient, and cost free. We have called these communications simply Have Your Say and our publicity materials and image promote this. The PALS service offers six methods of contact for clients under the identity of encouraging patients and public alike to Have Your Say by the following means:- Page 5 of 12
Face to Face via PALS Office By telephone on freephone 0800 085 1547 In writing to HAVE YOUR SAY FREEPOST On line at www.wirralpct.nhs.uk E-mail haveyoursay@wirralpct.nhs.uk Text message on 07781 472493 An answer-machine is available 24 hours a day to take messages for PALS or to use the Have Your Say option. Should contact be required, this will be made at the earliest opportunity. The PALS service is based in a free standing shop unit at the Lauries Centre in Birkenhead, the postal address and entrance is at 136 Claughton Road, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 6EY, which is separate from the PCT main offices at St Catherine s Hospital and Port Causeway. 7. Client group The following groups may access PALS: Patients receiving treatment or accessing services provided by Wirral PCT in areas such as General Practice Dentistry Pharmacy Ophthalmology Community Nursing The service is also available to Friends, Relatives or Carers of Patients. Members of staff at Wirral PCT who have concerns about an incident, treatment, or a patient, through services provided by the Trust. 8. Access for Clients Clients may access the service by: Calling into the PALS Office Letter Reply slip on leaflet Telephone call Email On line Text message Referral from any member of NHS staff, internal or external PALS from other Trusts external organisations any third party Page 6 of 12
Members of the PALS team will visit clients at home if they cannot, or do not wish to visit the PALS Office. This must be by prior arrangement and subject to the Lone Worker Policy. PALS recognise that occasionally complex issues may require immediate attention and support. However PALS is not a crisis intervention service nor is PALS qualified to give medical advice. 9. PALS and complaints The PALS service holds regular dialogue with the Complaints team for the following purposes: To ensure open lines of communication between PALS and Complaints Department. To enable the easy flow of information between the departments whilst giving full consideration to the principles of patient confidentiality and the Caldicott rules. To help prevent duplication of work by highlighting when particular departments are dealing with particular clients. To ensure good working relationships and cooperation between the two departments. To discuss the dissemination of information to other interested parties, e.g. Clinical Governance groups. 10. Confidentiality The nature of PALS work means that it will be necessary to hold personal details of clients. It is of paramount importance that all PALS staff maintains confidentiality at all times. This means that PALS staff must not disclose any information about named patients or their representatives, or information about them to any unauthorised person without prior permission. Particular care is needed to avoid unintentional breaches of confidence arising out of conversations with colleagues. In order to adhere to the rules governing confidentiality, PALS staff must actively seek the permission of a client before divulging personal information. 11. Storage of information Information will be recorded and stored within a secure database managed and accessible by the PALS service and this will conform to the relevant requirements of the Data Protection Act and the Caldicott guidelines for Patient Confidentiality. Access is strictly limited and password protected. Page 7 of 12
12. Archiving and document retrieval To conform with the requirements of DOH 2006 Records Management: NHS Code of Practice hard and/or electronic versions of previous versions are held by the Policy Author for the required 10 year period. All previous copies held by staff team members will be retrieved and destroyed on the issue on any future amended or updated versions of policy. The General Policy Group will manage the consultation, approval and access to the policy on behalf of the PCT. 13. Reporting PALS report to the PCT board via the PPI Committee and at Executive level to the Joint Director of Public Health. PALS links and feeds into the Clinical Governance structure when necessary. 14. What if PALS outcome does not fulfill expectations? The PALS Service will endeavour to reach a resolution in most cases, however both Patients and PALS must accept that in certain cases when all possible options for resolution have been exhausted, it is therefore an appropriate juncture for PALS to close the matter or refer to a more appropriate body. PALS works within the framework of the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy. It is therefore not acceptable for Patients or their representatives to threaten or use violence, or to be abusive towards any member of staff. If PALS is subjected to such behaviour the service will be removed, equally if a client approaches PALS and has been responsible for a Zero Tolerance incident PALS reserves the right remove its service. 15. Equality and Diversity The PALS service opposes and challenges discrimination of any kind. PALS will respect and recognise the needs of all Patients and Clients regardless of Age, Race, Religion, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability and other individual personal aspects identifying with a patients lifestyle. Page 8 of 12
Other languages available on request: If you require a copy of this document in an alternative format such as: Large print Braille Audio Or in another language, please contact the PALS Office on freephone 0800 085 1547 Page 9 of 12
Appendix 1: Have Your Say Process. All PALS contacts are received through the Have Your Say branded communication channels. Contact is initially made through one of six chosen routes, enquirers calling into the PALS office or using the option telephone are instantly acknowledged by the nature of the contact, if contact is made through answer phone, in writing, or via one of the three electronic methods acknowledgement will be made within 3 days. Once the enquiry is received the PALS team will decide the course of action, i.e. through research or existing knowledge base formulate a direct response, or through referring the matter to the appropriate Directorate or Service Provider for an answer, which the PALS team will feed directly back to the enquirer. However in exceptional circumstances PALS and the Service Provider may agree that the service provider gives direct feedback, if this is the case it will be agreed that PALS will be informed of the output to sign the enquiry off. All enquiries received through the Have Your Say process will be concluded within a target of 21 days. Page 10 of 12
Individual Patient Contact enquiry through Have Your Say process Diagram 1 Call into PALS Office Telephone/ Freephone Call Write via Freepost E-mail Have Your Say Online SMS Text message Enquiry received and recorded by PALS Team Acknowledgement of enquiry made within 3 days PALS Team coordinate response and feedback to enquirer Course of action agreed with enquirer e.g direct feedback from PALS Team PALS team refer enquiry to source for expert advice and formal reply PCT Directorate or Service Provider respond to PALS to feedback, or if agreeable feedback direct and inform PALS team of action taken. Page 11 of 12
Appendix 2 Policy Audit Questions and Key Performance Indicators 1. From reading this policy can you tell when the PALS Office is open for business? YES/NO 2. If you wish to make an enquiry with PALS it is clear what methods of contact are available? YES/NO 3. Is it clear from the policy who is eligible to contact PALS? YES/NO 4. Is it explained in the policy what PALS core service standards are? YES/NO 5. Does the policy explain how patient information is stored and what guidelines are in place to ensure patient confidentiality? YES/NO 6. Can you identify whether a copy of the PALS Policy can be made available in different languages and formats? YES/NO Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 1. PALS service to fully resolve 70% of all enquiries received 2. No more than 10 PALS enquiries that are not fully resolved progress to make a formal complaint. Page 12 of 12