PALS officer thanked by family

A member of the PALS team has been recognised for demonstrating “fantastic empathy commitment”. Liz Warrington, who works at the Royal Stoke site, was able to assist Mr John Winton when he rung in reference to his wife Shirley’s care.

Mr Winton said: “My wife Shirley was getting upset as a misdiagnosis and a number of errors were made by an NHS partner, leading to conflicting information and delays in appointments.

“I made a call to PALS and was fortunate enough to be talking to Liz Warrington who asked me to email her with the details.

“Two days later we were called by a hospital department who had clearly been impressed by Liz's pleas on our behalf and a brilliant result was reached, taking a weight off of us and really making a positive impact on a deteriorating situation.

“This was as a direct intervention and assistance of someone showing fantastic empathy and commitment at a crucial moment.”

Ro Vaughan, chief people officer, said: “It’s lovely to hear of one of our staff making a real difference and being recognised for it. Sometimes all the credit goes to frontline clinical staff but we all play a part and this shows how much patients and families appreciate a listening ear and a dedicated, proactive approach.