Child and Adolescent Health Service
Customer Liaison Service
Liaising, Informing and Networking for Carers (LINC)
About us
Welcome to the Customer Liaison Service at the Child and Adolescent Health Service. The Customer Liaison Service (CLS) was established to assist with improving the provision of health services to customers throughout the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS). The CLS provides the following services:
- Facilitation of generic feedback such as comments, suggestions, concerns, complaints and compliments, from our patients, parents, carers, families and members of the community
- Referral to the relevant service area to obtain the assistance you require
- Referral to the Liaising, Informing and Networking for Carers (LINC) Co-ordinator to assist Carers of children with chronic illness, disability and mental illness who access services through Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH)
- Support for Patient Rights and Responsibilities (also known as Patient /Customer Charter), in conjunction with the Rights and Responsibilities of staff
- Facilitation of legislative compliance for the Disability Services Act (1993) and Carers Recognition Act (2004)
- Facilitation of Ministerial and Parliamentary correspondence
- Facilitation of consumer participation/engagement from community representatives via the community advisory committee
- Support for the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH) Volunteers
Feedback
Feedback is viewed as mechanism for the health service to identify possible risks, trends and opportunities for improvement. If you believe that there are issues regarding the care of your child that are urgent and serious, please speak to the manager of the service involved in these issues first, to provide the opportunity to address the issues as soon as possible.
The following mechanisms are provided for you to provide feedback:
- Customer Feedback Form for anonymous feedback
- via the telephone 9340 7198
- via fax 9340 7636
- via the internet
- via email at: pmhcls@health.wa.gov.au
- via letter to the CAHS Customer Liaison Service, GPO Box D184, Perth WA 6840
- Complaint form – Please provide as much detail as possible and if you would like help completing the complaint form, please contact the CLS.
- Suggestion boxes at PMH, using the Customer Feedback Form
The Customer Liaison Service aims to acknowledge feedback received within 5 working days.
If you require a translator or interpreter, contact the Translation and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
If you are deaf or have a speech or hearing impairment, phone the National Relay Service:
- TTY or modem users phone 133 677
- Voice only users phone 1300 555 727
Complaints
Please be assured that all complaints are treated seriously and confidentially and investigated by the Heads of the Service. Complaints are an important way to assist CAHS to identify opportunities for improvement.
It is possible for you to lodge a complaint anonymously using the Customer Liaison Service (CLS). All complaint documentation is filed separately from the patient’s medical record, within the CLS. Making a complaint will not impact negatively on any future care or treatment. We aim to respond to complaints within 30 working days. If delays are expected you will be informed every 15 working days of progress and the anticipated finalisation date.
If you need someone to advocate on your behalf, the following organisation may be able to help:
- Health Consumers' Council WA (Inc.) (HCC)
Tel: +61 8 9221 3422
If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, the following organisations may be able to help:
- Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO)
(formerly Office of Health Review)
Tel: +61 8 9323 0600 - Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP)
- Western Australian Ombudsman
If you are concerned about the conduct, health or performance of a health practitioner, the following organisation may be able to help:
Liaising, Informing and Networking for Carers (LINC) at PMH
The Carers Recognition Act (2004) acknowledges carers who provide informal or unpaid care to family members, friends and neighbours.
The Act is aimed at changing the culture of service providers so that the impact on carers is considered when services are planned, delivered and reviewed.
In recognition of the important role that carers provide in supporting a child with chronic illness, disability and/or mental illness, a LINC Co-ordinator position is available at PMH to provide information, advice and liaison services to carers of children. This position is currently funded by Apache Energy Ltd.
In terms of the Carer Recognition Act (2004), you are a Carer if you provide ongoing support and assistance to a child with one or more of the following conditions:
- an intellectual disability
- a physical disability
- an autism spectrum disorder
- a mental illness
- a chronic illness
- a child needing palliative care,
Contact the LINC Co-ordinator on 9340 7534, 0420 967 802, or email: linc.coordinator@health.wa.gov.au
Rights and Responsibilities
The Customer Liaison Service supports Patient Rights and Responsibilities (also known as the Customer Charter) as well as the Rights and Responsibilities of staff.
The Children’s Rights poster provides information for children.
Information regarding patient Rights and Responsibilities is available in English and the following other languages:
- Arabic
- Bosnian
- Chinese
- Croatian
- Farsi
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Macedonian
- Malaysian
- Serbian
- Somali
- Spanish
- Thai
- Vietnamese
Disability and Carers Legislative Compliance
The Disability Services Act (1993) and the Carers Recognition Act (2004) require organisations to have a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan and a Carers Plan and to provide Annual reports to the Disability Services Commission and the Carers Advisory Council, to ensure that progress is being made towards improving the services provided to people with disabilities and Carers.
The following Plans and Reports are provided for your information:
- PMH Disability Access and Inclusion Plan
- PMH Disability Report 2010-2011
- PMH Carers Report 2010-2011
If you would like to provide any input or comments that could improve our services to people with disabilities or carers, please use the feedback mechanisms listed above.
Community Advisory Committee
CAHS has a Committee that enables representatives of our diverse community to work with staff representatives and participate in the planning, development and evaluation of child and adolescent health services. The Committee provides a consumer perspective directly to the Health Service Executive Team. If you would like to know more about the Committee or if you are interested in representing the community and serving on the Committee, please contact the Customer Liaison Service.
Volunteers at PMH
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH) acknowledges and values the contribution of Volunteers who represent a significant resource that extends and reinforces the work of paid staff. Many of our Volunteers have willingly and cheerfully donated their time, knowledge, skills and experience for considerable lengths of time, in some cases decades.
Volunteers began working at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH) in 1975 in the Casualty Department. Volunteers provide their services in a variety of departments. For example, they provide tea/coffee to customers in the Outpatients Department, sell a variety of goods from the Kiosk and Ward Trolley, assist the hospital school services and work under the guidance of staff in the wards to help to care for children.
All Volunteers are required to complete a criminal record screening and working with children check, sign a confidentiality agreement and attend an Orientation session. Volunteering is a responsibility that requires commitment and dedication and our Volunteers experience many non-monetary rewards. Experience has shown Volunteering is most successful amongst people who are not already committed to employment or activities that require a considerable time investment.
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer, please contact the President of the Volunteers on 9340 8716.
