Going Into Hospital
6. Useful Contacts
Advice and support if you want to complain about the NHS
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 |
0300 456 8347 |
| North East |
0300 456 8348 |
| North West |
0300 456 8350 |
| Yorkshire/Humberside |
0300 456 8349 |
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 council
Call the freephone number 0800 917 0222 to be put through to the 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.
