A HOSPICE in North Yorkshire has launched a new service to ensure people receive the best possible end-of-life care if they wish to remain at home.

The Fast Track Home Care service from Saint Catherine's Hospice is being rolled out across Scarborough from Friday (September 9). The service has been available in the Whitby area since Spring 2022.

The service, which requires a referral from a healthcare professional, runs late into the evening, seven days a week, with out-of-hours care provided by district nurses and GP services along with telephone support available via Saint Catherine’s Palcall service.

Michelle Muir, clinical director at Saint Catherine’s, said: “More and more people would like to be cared for in their own homes at the end of life, so it is really important they receive the specialist care and support they need.

"The Fast Track Home Care service means patients’ wishes to remain at home can be met and with this new model, we will be caring for patients at home across a wider area than ever before.”

The service is being funded by NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) with the aim of ensuring consistency in service provision across the region.

Once the Fast Track Home Care service is operating in Scarborough, the next step will be to roll it out to the Ryedale area, reaching patients across an even wider geographical area.

Wendy Balmain, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB's North Yorkshire director, added: "Part of the mission of the ICB is to ensure people end their lives well. This means giving people the choice to receive quality end-of-life care in their own homes – where this is possible.

"Saint Catherine's has a distinguished record for providing high quality end-of-life and palliative care and I'm delighted the ICB has been able to support the Fast Track Home Care service for Whitby and Scarborough, and in due course, Ryedale."

The new service will create around 20 new roles and has already been receiving positive feedback from patients and families in the Whitby area.

One person said: "I did not know that such kindness existed in this world but we received it from everyone at Saint Catherine’s. May I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful care my husband and I received.”

Meanwhile, another said: "Thank you for everything you did to help mum and us. Your care and compassion were second to none and we really can’t thank you enough.”

To find out more, visit the Saint Catherine's website.

All of the hospice's services are free of charge. The team rely on the work of supporters and donors to raise the £5 million needed to deliver their specialist care.