A NEW patients' pal today pledged to help people cut through Health Service red tape and get the treatment they need.

Diane Weaver will begin work as Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust's new Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) officer tomorrow..

The service's motto is 'We're here to help -- when you need advice, have worried or don't know where to turn.'

It will not only provide information and put people in touch with other services within the trust, but also other bodies such as social services, benefits officers and voluntary groups such as Age Concern.

Diane has taken the post after working in a variety of positions -- as a PA at Westholme School and for British Aerospace and latterly in the rights and advice department at Blackburn with Darwen Council.

She said: "My experience there should serve me well in my new post. Having worked for the council I know how that works inside out and who to refer people to, and the role also meant I had a lot of involvement with the voluntary sector.

"Being new to the NHS I'm seeing things very much from new eyes and have the patients' best interests in mind. People do not distinguish between social services, GPs and other services we provide -- they just want someone to listen and help. That's where we come in."

Diane is backed by another officer, Cherie Donnelly, and there is also a network of PALS officers across East Lancashire who meet regularly to exchange ideas and discuss solutions to problems.

A PALS officer has been in place at Queen's Park Hospital since December because Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Healthcare Trust was chosen to pilot the scheme. Diane said now the PCT's PALS officer was in place it spread the net even wider to ensure patients' problems were heard. PALS does not deal with complaints but if Diane receives one she can pass it on to someone who can.

Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT and Burnley Healthcare Trust are preparing to launch a joint PALS scheme at Burnley General Hospital, as is Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Healthcare Trust PCT.

PALS can be contacted by telephone on 0845 015908 between 10am and 4pm with an answerphone outside office hours. By post at Diane Weaver, PALS officer, Blackburn with Darwen PCT, FREEPOST NWW7363A, Blackburn BB1 2BR. By email pals@bwdpct.nhs.uk