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We are committed to providing a high-quality service for all our patients and will do everything possible to make sure that your visit or stay in hospital is satisfactory. We are constantly developing the services we provide to patients and visitors and welcome your views on how we can improve. 

Page contents

• Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)

• Meet the Matrons

• Tell us what you think

• Make a complaint

• Complaint support

 

Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)

The Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) offer support, information and assistance to patients, relatives, and visitors.

PALS can:

• Provide information about hospital services.
• Offer advice on how to obtain health information and guidance.
• Assist with concerns that you haven’t been able to sort out with staff on a ward or in a department.
• Listen to your views on how we can improve our services, and pass this on to the appropriate person for action.
• Provide advice on how to make a formal complaint.
• Provide advice on independent organisations that can help you with a complaint.

Find out more about the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)

 

Meet the Matrons

We actively encourage patients, carers, and families to engage with your matron as a point of contact for when you want to talk about things that have gone well, and about any issues you may have spotted during your stay that could be improved.

Find out more about Meet the Matrons

 

Tell us what you think

There are a variety of ways you can provide feedback. This includes

• Thanking a staff member or team for the care you received

• Filling out a patient satisfaction survey

• Giving general care feedback

Find out more ways to give feedback

 

Make a complaint 

The Complaints team can register your concerns formally and share them with the service line area responsible for your care, who will then carry out an investigation.  You may be contacted by the investigating manager to discuss your concerns and to agree the best way in which to answer them. For more information download our complaints leaflet.pdf [pdf] 301KB.

If you wish to make a formal complaint please do so as soon as possible after the event. Please write to:

Complaints Department 
Patient Services, Level 7
Derriford Hospital
Plymouth
PL6 8DH 

Or you can email your complaint to: plh-tr.Complaints-PatientServices@nhs.net 

The NHS and Social Care Complaints Procedure has two stages:

• Local Resolution (Stage 1)
• Appeal to the Health Services Ombudsman (Stage 2)

Local resolution

We will acknowledge formal complaints within three working days and a full investigation will be carried out. We have an obligation, under the NHS and Social Care Complaints Procedure to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Our aim is to respond within twenty five working days but this will depend on the complexity of the complaint and may take longer. We will keep you informed if for any reason we need more time to complete our investigation. 

Health Service Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of local resolution you have the right to proceed to the second and final stage of the NHS and Social Care Complaints Procedure by requesting a review of your complaint by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Find out more at the Health Service Ombudsman 

 

Complaint Support

The Advocacy People is a free, independent advocacy service that can help you make a complaint about any aspect of your NHS care or treatment.  
Their contact details are:  
Tel: 0300 440 9000 
Email:  info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk   
Text: 80800 keyword PEOPLE