Sue Ryder to reach more people with end-of-life care

Healthcare charity Sue Ryder has been awarded a major new NHS contract to grow its compassionate palliative and end-of-life care services across Wokingham Borough, Reading, Newbury and South Oxfordshire.

Starting in January 2026, the new services will help more local people living with life-limiting conditions access palliative and end-of-life care to manage their symptoms, provide comfort, and improve their quality of life, often in their own home. 

These services include:

o        A new Single Point of Access for care coordination  

o        A regional Virtual Ward service to provide hospital-level care at home  

o        A regional Specialist Community Nursing service 

o        A new Hospice at Home service in Berkshire West  

o        Inpatient hospice care, therapy and wellbeing support  

o        A regional out-of-hours clinical advice line for healthcare professionals and patients  

o        A Lymphoedema service across Berkshire West  

o        Bereavement and grief support services 

Included in the new-look service will be a dedicated out-of-hours clinical advice line for patients, their families and their carers alongside bereavement support, therapy and wellbeing services.

Louise Lucio, Regional Director at Sue Ryder said:

“This is a major step forward for people in Berkshire West and South Oxfordshire who deserve expert, compassionate care at the end of their lives. Too many people across the UK still face dying and grief without the support they need, and here at Sue Ryder we want to change that."

"Our charity supports people who are dying to live well and supports families through grief. Our new partnership with the NHS here in the South East means we can reach more people earlier with our support, whether that is at home, in the community, or in Sue Ryder‘s specialist hospice beds. "

“It’s a big step towards Sue Ryder's vision of a society where everyone gets the care and support they deserve at the end of their lives. We’re excited to be working with our partners in the NHS to help build a joined-up way of delivering the care people need, particularly for those who might be struggling to access palliative and end-of-life care.” 

The long-term partnership with the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (NHS BOB ICB) will bring in a number of new and improved services, including a brand-new Hospice at Home service in Berkshire West, prioritising comfort and quality of life for patients who wish to be at home. 

It will also see the launch of a ‘Virtual Ward’ service across the region, which will provide hospital-level care to people in their own homes to help keep them out of hospital. 

Included in the new-look service will be a dedicated out-of-hours clinical advice line for patients, their families and their carers alongside bereavement support, therapy and wellbeing services. 

Beginning in January 2026, the services will be delivered by Sue Ryder Nurses, doctors, care teams and volunteers, with the charity now making preparations ahead of the January launch. 

Excitingly, the new agreement between the NHS and Sue Ryder has generated a number of new jobs for the region. Sue Ryder is currently recruiting for Senior Healthcare Assistants to join its new Hospice at Home Team which will be caring for communities in Berkshire West from the New Year. 

To register to receive further details on Sue Ryder’s new service direct to your inbox please visit sueryder.org/SEupdate

To find out more about Sue Ryder’s services or how to access support, visit www.sueryder.org or speak with your GP or lead healthcare professional.