England

Patient Advice and Liaison service (PALS)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service gives immediate help and advice on dealing with any problems patients may have while in hospital. Ask a member of staff in the hospital for the contact details of the PALS office; there should be one based within the hospital itself.

Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)

The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) is an independent service which can help you to make a complaint about the NHS. Your PALS office will be able to give you contact details or you can contact them directly yourself. The telephone numbers for regional ICAS offices are:

North Central London (Barnet; Camden; Haringey: Enfield; Islington)	0845 120 3784
North East London (Barking and Dagenham; Hackney; Havering; Tower Hamlets; Redbridge; Waltham Forest; Newham)	0845 337 3059
North West London (Brent; Ealing; Hillingdon; Hounslow; Westminster; Kensington and Chelsea; Hammersmith and Fulham; Harrow)	0845 337 3065
South East London (Bexley; Bromley; Greenwich; Lambeth; Lewisham; Southwark)	0845 337 3061
South West London (Croydon; Kingston-upon-Thames; Richmond; Sutton; Merton; Wandsworth))	0845 337 3063
South East	0845 600 8616
Eastern (Beds and Herts)	0845 456 1082
Eastern (Cambs, Norfolk, Suffolk)	0845 456 1084
Eastern (Essex)	0845 456 1083
South West	0845 120 3782
West Midlands (Birmingham; the Black Country	0845 120 3748
West Midlands (Shropshire; Staffordshire)	0845 337 3054
West Midlands (Coventry; Warwickshire; Worcestershire; Herefordshire)	0845 337 3056
East Midlands	0845 650 0088
North East	0845 120 3732
North West	0845 120 3735
Yorkshire/Humberside	0845 120 3734

Scotland

NHS boards in Scotland

NHS Ayrshire and Arran	01292 885800
NHS Borders	01896 825500
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	01387 246246
NHS Fife	01592 643355
NHS Forth Valley	01786 463031
NHS Grampian	0845 456 6000
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	0141 201 4444
NHS Highland	01463 717123
NHS Lanarkshire	01698 281313
NHS Lothian	0131 536 9000
NHS Orkney	01856 888000
NHS Shetland	01595 743060
NHS Tayside	01382 818 479
NHS Western Isles	01851 702997

Health Rights Information Scotland produce information for patients about their rights and how to use the NHS service.

Health Rights Information Scotland
Scottish Consumer Council
Royal Exchange House
100 Queen Street
Glasgow G1 3DN
Tel: 0141 226 5261
Web: www.hris.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau
Contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for independent advice on making complaints about the NHS. Check your phone book for details or search for your nearest branch on the Citizens Advice Scotland website www.cas.org.uk

Northern Ireland
Health and social services councils
Call the freephone number 0800 917 0222 to be put through to your local health and social services council.
For further information contact:
Information Resources Team
Help the Aged
207–221 Pentonville Road
London N1 9UZ
Tel: 020 7278 1114
If you have access to the internet you can download our information sheets and advice leaflets by logging on to www.helptheaged.org.uk


SeniorLine is the free welfare rights advice and information service run by Help the Aged for older people and their carers. Trained advice workers offer free, confidential and impartial advice about:
• welfare and disability benefits
• care at home
• residential care
• housing options and adaptations
• access to health and community services.
Freephone: 0808 800 6565
Textphone: 0800 26 96 26
9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday
If you are in Northern Ireland, contact SeniorLine on 0808 808 7575.Health Rights Information Scotland produce information for patients about their rights and how to use the NHS service.

Wales

Community Health Councils

Ask a member of staff in the hospital for the address and phone number of your community health council or contact:

Board of Community Health Councils in Wales
Park House
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff CF10 3AF
Tel: 0845 644 7814

Northern Ireland

Health and social services council

Call the freephone number 0800 917 0222 to be put through to your local health and social service board.