The Harrogate End of Life Planning and Support Service (HELPSS) launched in July 2024 and is led by the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Saint Michael’s Hospice, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support and Social Finance. 

HELPSS supports improving access to advance/future care planning for those with a palliative diagnosis who may be in the last year of life. It also provides access to Goldline, a 24/7 telephone service to support these patients and their carers.

 A GP or any other healthcare professional can have advance care planning discussions and help make these decisions but through HELPSS we have increased the availability of people to guide these discussions with the launch of the Saint Michael’s Hospice Advance Care Planning Service.

So far, an additional 250 people have been supported through the dedicated Advance Care Planning Service, to think about their future health and care wishes and create plans that are accessible to other health professionals that may care for them.