How the Patients Association helpline can help you navigate your care

Summary

Navigating health and social care systems can be confusing and frustrating for patients and carers. In this blog Emma Sheffield, Communications and Marketing Manager at the Patients Association, explains how their free helpline is helping support people. 

Content

The Patients Association is a UK-wide charity dedicated to amplifying patient voices and improving healthcare experiences. We provide support, guidance, and advocacy to help people navigate the complex world of health and social care.

Our free helpline offers specialist information and guidance to anyone, across all four UK nations. Whether you’re struggling to understand your healthcare options, need help resolving a concern, or just want to share your experience, our team is here to listen and assist. While we are not medically trained and cannot offer clinical or legal advice, we can help you make sense of the system and connect you with the right resources.

What can you contact us about?

The healthcare system can be overwhelming, and it’s not always clear where to turn for help. Our helpline is here to support you with a wide range of concerns, including:

• Care navigation – understanding how to access the right healthcare services, from GP appointments to specialist referrals.
• Your healthcare rights – how to get a second opinion, changing your GP or dentist, or accessing your medical records.
• Making a complaint – guidance on raising concerns about NHS or social care experiences, including who to contact and how to escalate issues.
• Accessibility and patient safety – ensuring you receive the support you need, such as interpreters or disability accommodations, and knowing what to do when care falls short.

How the helpline has helped patients

Ramona*, a concerned relative, reached out to our helpline after her Deaf family member faced barriers at their GP surgery. Despite requesting a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter well in advance, the patient arrived at their appointment to find no interpreter arranged. The situation left them struggling to communicate effectively, leading to frustration and a lack of clarity about their care.

When Ramona later contacted the GP practice, she was told there was "no budget" for BSL interpreters. Feeling this was unfair, she contacted us to speak to someone about it. Our helpline team explained that GP surgeries have a responsibility to provide accessible communication support. We guided her to contact the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) for clarity on funding policies and directed her to the Equality Advice and Support Service (EASS) for further support in raising a formal complaint. With this information, Ramona felt empowered to challenge the decision and advocate for her relative’s rights.

Another caller, Arman*, contacted us after facing difficulties in managing their ADHD treatment. Following discharge from a specialist clinic, their GP continued prescribing their medication, but when it became less effective, they were told that only a specialist could approve a change. This meant starting the referral process again, leading to long delays and uncertainty.

Feeling stuck, Arman contacted our helpline for guidance. We suggested asking their GP to clarify why specialist input was needed and whether any alternative medications could be prescribed in the meantime. We also explored ways to speed up the referral process, including requesting a referral back to their previous clinic or finding another specialist with a shorter wait time. With these options in mind, Arman felt more confident in approaching their GP and taking control of their care.

Call or email the helpline

You can call our helpline on 0800 345 7115 (freephone) between Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5pm. You can also send us an email at: [email protected].

Your voice matters

Calling the helpline doesn’t just help you, with your permission, your experiences contribute to wider improvements in patient care. Our partnership with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) means that your feedback can help inform changes in healthcare services, ensuring others don’t face the same challenges.

If you have concerns about your healthcare, need help understanding your rights, or just need guidance on where to turn next, our helpline is here for you. You don’t have to navigate the system alone, speak to one of our friendly team members and we can help you find the answers you need.

* Names have been changed.

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• Digital-only prescription requests: An elderly woman sent round the houses
• Lost in the system: the need for better admin
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