Operating across North Derbyshire overnight from 8pm to 8am, seven days per week, the service now runs 24-hours-per-day at weekends, when access to other support can be more limited, ensuring patients and families still receive the care they need.
The Roaming Car service sees our experienced nurses visit patients in their own homes when urgent needs arise, providing expert care for painful or worrying symptoms, alongside comfort and practical advice for loved ones.
Since its launch in June 2023, it has been instrumental in helping patients remain at home as they approach the end of life, avoiding unnecessary ambulance callouts and hospital admissions, and easing pressure on the NHS.
In summer 2025, following feedback from patients’ families, we increased the service’s hours of operation from nine hours per night (10pm to 7am) to 12 hours per night (8pm to 8am). As demand has continued to grow across the local community, we are proud to now offer the service around the clock at weekends.
Importantly, this expansion has been achieved at no extra cost to the hospice. By reorganising staffing and capacity, we are reaching more patients while keeping overall costs the same, ensuring every resource is used wisely.
Covering a wide and rural area, the service is available to anyone in the last 12 months of life who is registered with a North Derbyshire GP. This includes communities stretching from New Mills to Bolsover, spanning the High Peak, Hope Valley, Derbyshire Dales, Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.
Shane O’Reilly, CEO of Blythe House Hospice, said: ‘We know that, when given the choice, local people wish to stay at home as they near the end of their life. The Roaming Car service is available for families to call at any time they feel anxious or concerned about their loved one’s condition, providing expert care and peace of mind to keep people at home, where they want to be, and out of hospital and in-patient units. Because of this, the service has seen huge demand since it began, and this further expansion to its provision reflects that need. To achieve this growth, we’ve reorganised the service so we can support even more patients without spending any extra money, making the most of every pound donated to the hospice.’
Paula Elliott, Hospice at Home Nurse Manager, said: ‘I am honoured to see first-hand the difference the Roaming Car service makes to families and patients in our community. Being able to provide care in the place that means the most to them – their home – allows people to stay comfortable, safe and surrounded by their loved ones, helping families make precious memories and ensuring every moment counts.’
Only 28% of the hospice’s running costs come from the NHS – the rest, approximately £2.6m every year, is raised through the kindness and generosity of our local community. That means 7 in 10 of our patients receive care that is funded by donations, our charity shops, fundraising events and gifts left to the hospice in people’s Wills.
A fresh start that really adds up: donate to your local hospice shop this New...