Ashgate Hospice and Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (DDICB) have reached agreement on the specialist palliative and end of life care services that will be funded by DDICB at Ashgate Hospice during 2026/27.
The agreement follows a period of detailed discussions between Ashgate, DDICB and NHS England about how specialist hospice and palliative care services can best meet local need within available resources.
Over recent months, Ashgate Hospice has made a number of changes to help reduce the gap between the cost of delivering specialist care and the funding available. The funding agreement reached for 2026/27 provides a more stable footing for the year ahead and supports the continued delivery of a range of hospice services across North Derbyshire.
As part of the agreement, Ashgate Hospice will increase inpatient capacity from eight to 10 beds, including two beds currently funded through the hospice’s Save a Precious Bed Appeal.
The agreement also supports the continuation of wider hospice services, including care provided in people’s homes and through Ashgate’s Virtual Ward.
Alongside the agreement, Ashgate, DDICB and NHS England will continue to work together over the coming year as part of the wider efforts to build a clearer shared understanding of the specialist palliative and end of life community services that Ashgate and other providers deliver across North Derbyshire. This work will help inform future local planning and commissioning discussions, alongside the Government’s Modern Service Framework for palliative and end of life care.
Barbara-Anne Walker, Chief Executive at Ashgate Hospice, said:
“This agreement is an important step forward for Ashgate Hospice and the people we care for across North Derbyshire.
“The last year has involved difficult decisions and detailed discussions about how specialist hospice care can continue to be delivered in a sustainable way for the future. This agreement gives us greater certainty for the year ahead and allows us to take a small but important step in increasing inpatient capacity.
“We are grateful to colleagues at DDICB and NHS England for the work that has taken place to reach this position, and we will continue working together over the coming months to help shape future hospice and palliative care services for local people.”
Amanda Sullivan, Chief Executive at Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“I am pleased to have reached agreement on a new contract with Ashgate Hospice for the 2026/27 financial year. This ensures that the services provided for patients who are at the end of life or receiving palliative care can continue to be delivered by Ashgate on a sustainable footing.
“I look forward to working constructively with Ashgate during the remainder of the year, in particularly as we seek to review the broader planning and funding for end of life and palliative care across Derby and Derbyshire.”
Further work will continue across Derbyshire over the next 12 months to support future planning and commissioning arrangements for specialist palliative and end of life care services across the region, recognising the need to protect the sustainability of these services within national parameters, whilst delivering the quality of care our communities deserve.
Here are the thoughts of Chief Executive, Barbara-Anne Walker
