PATIENTS are being reminded they have a right to complain or compliment their local NHS service.Members of the public, their friends, family or carers, have the right to confidentially feedback to the NHS about their experience of the healthcare system.

PATIENTS are being reminded they have a right to complain or compliment their local NHS service.

Members of the public, their friends, family or carers, have the right to confidentially feedback to the NHS about their experience of the healthcare system.

The Patient, Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers anyone the opportunity to raise an issue about a service, make a complaint about the treatment they have received or to compliment a health professional or team when they have done something well.

Health bosses at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney want more people to know they can contact the PALS officer.

PALS officer at NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Geraldine Adams said: “PALS is a friendly face or voice at the end of a telephone line to help people navigate their way through the healthcare system. This can be from wanting to know where their nearest NHS doctor, optician, pharmacy or dentist is - which there are many in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area - or to discuss a more complex medical issue.

“While PALS officers aren't clinicians we are able to access information about complex medical issues.”

“Sometimes the formal process frightens people and a formal complaint will be thoroughly investigated by the complaints manager and will take some time. If someone doesn't want to go down this formal complaint route they could instead talk to me who will try to resolve the issue quickly.”

The public reminder comes as part of PALS Awareness Week running from Monday.

PALS is a completely confidential service to help patients, carers and members of the public who need advice, have concerns or are not sure where to turn for help.

Sarah Boulton, Interim Chair of NHS East of England, said: “PALS have a vital role to play in supporting members of the public with a good patient experience.

“PALS are often the first port of call for people who have queries, worries or concerns about the services they receive.

“The teams are highly professional people who reflect the values of the NHS Constitution extremely well.”

Contact: The PALS service on 01502 719501 or email gyw-pct.pals@nhs.net.