Offering confidential assistance to the public, PALS is the hospital’s first point of contact for patients and their families. The help they provide can take many forms, from answering health-related questions, to signposting additional support, to resolving concerns. In this sense, they are an absolutely vital component of the Trust and they make a huge contribution to the overall experience.
However, until very recently, the PALS office was situated at the West end of DRI, far away from where patients initially arrive. Hardly ideal, this meant that visitors would need to walk quite a distance in order to get information, raise concerns, or make a complaint.
Recognising this issue, the Trust decided that it was time to relocate the service to somewhere more appropriate. With that in mind, you will now be able to find the PALS team right by the main entrance, making them more visible than ever before.
The move to the new office took place on Tuesday 5 March, with an opening ceremony to mark the occasion. There, Suzy Brain England, Trust Chair at DBTH, was on hand to cut the ribbon and welcome the PALS staff to their new workplace.
Suzy said: ‘’When attending hospital, patients need to feel like they have can receive information and support in a timely manner. Whether they are looking for guidance on how to get involved in their own healthcare, want to make a suggestion on how we can improve, or just want to pass along a compliment, the PALS team are there to accommodate. They are the first point of contact for our visitors and having them positioned near the main entrance simply ensures that they can be as helpful as possible.
‘’The new office has been prepared as a thoroughly comfortable place for staff to work, as well as for our patients, their family and carers. It is a credit to our team and will be much used, I am sure, as we receive suggestions for improvement and compliments for great work well done.’’
The PALS office is open every weekday, from 9am-5pm. They can be contacted in person, via the dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net email address, or over the phone on 01302 642764.