Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Volunteer

What would I be doing?

The Patient  Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers support, advice and information  about NHS services to patients, their carers and families, the general  public and hospital staff. A common entry route  into paid PALS work is through volunteering, and some PALS services are staffed  by a mixture of paid staff and volunteers.
As a PALS  volunteer your tasks would usually include: 

• providing information about       NHS services and health-related enquiries 
• liaising with PALS       staff  and other support groups about patients’ issues
• informing patients about how       they can get more involved in their own healthcare and the local NHS       services
• listening to concerns,       suggestions and experiences and raising these with a PALS officer
• providing information about       the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help about a       complaint.

What skills would I need?

To be a PALS volunteer you need:

• excellent listening and       communication skills 
• a genuine desire to help       people
• the ability to deal with       distressed or angry patients or bereaved relatives
• a non-judgemental approach
• empathy, sensitivity and       resilience
• the ability to work within       the organisation’s confidentiality policy.

If you'd like to know more about being a  volunteer, give us acall! All calls are confidential and because we're impartial, you'llget the best possible advice on your options.  You can also email an adviser or request a call back at a time tosuit you.