What if I have a problem?

As soon as possible, you should tell someone close to the cause of your problem – the doctor, nurse, receptionist or senior sister/charge nurse for example. In most cases, it should be possible to sort out the problem straight away.

However, if you would prefer to talk to someone who is not involved in your care, you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), based in the hospital’s main entrance.

Whoever you ask to look into your concerns will do their best to sort out the problem as quickly as possible, and they will ensure that any information about you is kept strictly confidential.

How Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) can help you

The service aims to:

• help sort out problems on your behalf or advising you how to sort them out yourself
• provide confidential, on-the-spot advice, support and information
• listen to your concerns, suggestions or queries to learn what the hospital gets right, what it gets wrong and what could  be improved
• guide you through the different services available within the NHS.

We can also put you in touch with other people who may be able to help you, and give you details of groups or organisations that work outside the hospital, such as voluntary organisations, community groups or independent advocacy. 

How to contact PALS
PALS office is based in the main entrance of the hospital. This service can be contacted Monday-Friday 9am-5pm at:

PALS
Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Homerton Row
London E9 6SR

tel: 020 8510 7315
A voicemail service is available out of office hours

fax: 020 8510 7733
email: pals@homerton.nhs.uk

Helping yourself

• if you have a worry or a concern about your care, it may be useful to talk to the doctor who is caring for you, a member of nursing team or the manager of the department.  They are the best people to explain and give advice about your care
• when visiting the hospital, consider bringing a friend or relative with you for support.

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How the Complaints Service can help you

If you have spoken to a member of staff and are still not satisfied with the outcome and want to make a formal complaint about your care and treatment or that of your relative or friend, please write to:

Complaints Service
Homerton University Hospital
NHS Foundation Trust
Homerton Row
London E9 6SR

The service can also be contacted on:

tel: 020 8510 7498
tel: 020 8510 5113

Monday to Friday
9.30am to 5.30pm (on answer phone between 10am-2pm) or via email pals@homerton.nhs.uk

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If you need help or support to make your complaint

You can contact ICAS (Independent Complaints Advocacy Service). The local branch can be contacted on 0845 337 3058 or via their website: www.pohwer.net

In accordance with the NHS complaints procedure you need to inform us of your complaint within one year of the event.

All complaints are brought to the attention of the Chief Executive, Chief Nurse or Medical Director.

Next steps would be as follows:

• your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt
• we would like to discuss and agree with you how you would like us to proceed; for example you may prefer us to arrange a meeting or to have a written response
• whichever way forward you choose we aim to respond within 25 working days.  We will write to you if we are unable to respond within this time
• if we are having difficulty meeting the deadline, we will contact you to negotiate an extension
• if you remain dissatisfied following our response, you may ask the Health Service Ombudsman to consider your complaint.  You can pick up a leaflet about the role of Ombudsman from the Health and Cancer Information Centre at the main entrance.

The Ombudsman can be contacted on helpline: 0345 015 4033 or via website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

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