Advice

There are a number of services available that can offer you advice and information about your health.


NHS Direct

NHS Direct is a confidential telephone service which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and offers health advice, information and reassurance. 

NHS Direct offers the following services:

• Information about local health services and support organisations
• Advice about maintaining a healthy lifestyle
• Information about illnesses, tests, treatments and operations
• Enquiries about medication, e.g. interactions, overdosing and poisoning
• Information on national and local health scares, e.g. swine flu

When you call NHS Direct you will be asked to provide some basic information, including details of any medication you may be taking. If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, you’ll need to provide this information on their behalf.

A nurse will assess your problem and advise you on the best course of action. You may be given advice about how you can look after yourself at home,  or they may recommend you speak to a pharmacist.

If it’s something more serious, you may be advised to see another healthcare professional, such as your doctor. If the problem is more serious, NHS Direct can access the ambulance service for you.

For confidential health advice and information around the clock, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. Calls are charged at local rates.

For deaf and those hard of hearing, a text phone service is available on 0845 606 4647. If English is not your preferred language you can choose to use a confidential translation service. 


NHS Choices

The NHS Choices website offers information on all aspects of health and healthcare. It allows you to find telephone numbers and addresses for most NHS organisations, including GPs, pharmacies, dentists and opticians. There is also an online symptom checker, a medicines guide and online medical advice available from NHS Direct. 


Careline

Careline is Liverpool City Council’s confidential telephone advice service for enquiries relating to Social Care including services for children, adults, the homeless and patients with mental health problems. Fully trained Customer Advisors and Social Workers offer advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can put you in touch with organisations that can help you with your problem. Careline can arrange interpreters in different languages.

Contact Careline by telephoning 0151 233 3800 for adults, or 0151 233 3700 for children, or for general advice you can email wecanhelp@liverpool.gov.uk.  


Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is here to help when you need advice, have concerns or don't know where to turn.

As a patient, relative or carer sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice and support. This is where the Patient Advice and Liaison Service comes in.

PALs aims to help sort out any problems or concerns you may have when using health services, working with patients and staff to improve the health service.

PALs does this by:

• Offering advice and support to patients, their families and carers
• Providing information on NHS services
• Listening and responding to concerns, suggestions or queries
• Helping sort out problems quickly on your behalf

PALs will always ask for your permission before personal information is discussed with others. The service can talk to staff, management and other organisations on your behalf.

The service is free and confidential. Only in exceptional cases where your safety or that of others must be considered will PALs have to pass on information. You will always be told if they have to do this.

Please see the PALS leaflets for further details on the services offered by the team.

How to contact PALS

A member of the team is available Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

By telephone: 0800 073 1106 (24 hour voicemail)

By fax: 0151 296 7809

By email: PALS@liverpoolpct.nhs.uk

Download a copy of the PALS leaflet.

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