Advice and contacts
Most people are discharged from hospital without experiencing any difficulties. Hospitals work hard to make sure that everyone who is discharged has the support they need.
But if you are experiencing problems, there are a number of people you can talk to - the hospital itself, the social services department, or your Patient Advice and Liaison Service or equivalent. A local voluntary group, such as Age Concern or the Red Cross, might also be able to help you.
It is important to discuss your wishes and concerns about being discharged with hospital and social services staff. If you are worried about anything, no matter how trivial you think it is, then please do mention it to a member of staff. If they know about your worries, then they can try to do something about them.
Advice and support for NHS complaints
On this page
England
Patient advice and liaison service (PALS)
PALS gives immediate help and advice on dealing with any problems you 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 their 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; Worcetershire; Hertfordshire) |
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 611040 |
| NHS Borders |
01896 825 500 |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway |
01387 246 246 |
| NHS Fife |
01592 643 355 |
| NHS Forth Valley |
01786 463 031 |
| NHS Grampian |
0845 456 6000 |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde |
0141 201 4444 |
| NHS Highland |
01463 717 123 |
| NHS Lanarkshire |
01698 281 313 |
| NHS Lothian |
0131 536 9000 |
| NHS Orkney |
01856 888 000 |
| NHS Shetland |
01595 743 060 |
| NHS Tayside |
01382 818 479 |
| NHS Western Isles |
01851 702 997 |
Contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for independent advice on making complaints about the NHS. Check your phonebook for their details or search for your nearest branch on the Citizens Advice Scotland website.
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 services council.
Care standards authorities
Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales
Units 4/5 Heol Billingsley
Parc Nantgarw
Nantgarw
Cardiff CF15 7QZ
Tel: 01443 848 450
Commission for Social Care Inspection (England)
33 Greycoat Street
London
SW1P 2QF
Tel: 0845 015 0120
Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee DD1 4NY
Tel: 0845 603 0890
Ask for the address and telephone number of your local care standards authority.
Northern Ireland Regulation and Improvement Authority
9th Floor
Riverside Tower
5 Lanyon Place
Belfast BT1 3BT
Tel: 0289 051 7500
Other useful contacts
Age Concern
Your local branch of Age Concern will be listed under 'A' in the phone book. Alternatively, the Age Concern Information Line can give you details of your nearest branch.
Information line: 0800 00 99 66
British Red Cross
Look in your phone book for the nearest branch, or contact:
9 Grosvenor Crescent
London SW1X 7EJ
Tel: 0870 170 7000
Textphone: 020 7562 2050
Counsel and Care
Twyman House
16 Bonny Street
London NW1 9PG
Tel: 0845 300 7585
Elderly Accommodation Counsel
3rd Floor, 89 Albert Embankment
London SE1 7TP
Tel: 020 7820 1343
WRVS
Look in your local phone book for your nearest branch, or contact:
Tel: 0845 601 4670
