Since 2016, our specialist end-of-life service has been bringing comfort to patients and families in their own homes.
Hospice at Home celebrates 10th anniversary
With more people than ever wanting to die at home, Hospice at Home allows patients to spend their final days in a place of their choice. In February 2026, we celebrated 10 years of this fantastic support system for the Oldham residents.
10 years of care in the Oldham community
Our free Hospice at Home service was set up in 2016 to tackle a lack of existing support for palliative and end-of-life patients. It provides high-quality specialist care to people who do not want to die in a hospice or hospital. This reduces unnecessary hospital admissions and allows patients to die at home with respect and dignity.
The service reached the finals of the Nursing Times Awards in 2021, with judges praising the “exceptional, innovative, individualised and compassionate care. Demand continues to grow, and in 2025 alone, 306 patients used the service, equating to 2581 visits.
The wife of one service user said: “The attending nurses were so considerate, patient, caring and loving – both to myself and my loved one – during the short time that their help was needed.”
A family member of another service user added: “I genuinely don’t know what I would have done without the Hospice at Home team. They were at the end of the telephone when I needed them most for my elderly mother.”
A lifeline for Oldham adults
Nicola Bailey, Community Services Manager at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, said: “Hospice at Home is a lifeline for adults with life-limiting illnesses who wish to remain at home in their final days to weeks of life.
“Alongside district nurses, we deliver responsive and personalised symptom management and end-of-life care, irrespective of diagnosis. It is a privilege to be able to help people to die with dignity and comfort in their place of choice.”
One nurse who has been there since the start is Hospice at Home Sister Sue Baynham. She said: “I love my role because I get to meet patients and families in their own environment. Being at home can offer a real sense of comfort for people, as they can see their own things around them.
“Hospices can have a stigma attached for some people. With Hospice at Home, people feel like their wishes are being adhered to and they are being listened to.”
The Hospice at Home service is available to Oldham residents who are registered with an Oldham GP. To find out more, call 0161 624 2727 or visit our Hospice at Home service page.