Goldline began with a vision rooted in compassion and practicality. In 2012, a group of clinicians at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, led by palliative care consultant Linda Wilson, identified a growing gap in end-of-life care.

Creating a seamless support service

Inspired by the story of a young mother navigating a fragmented healthcare system during her final months, the team pictured a seamless, supportive service that would simplify care and provide a single point of contact for patients and families.

Marie Buchan, one of the original project leads, recalls:

“We pitched a future where there would be one point of contact, where care would be seamless. And it’s absolutely fascinating that it came true.”

With funding from the Health Foundation, Goldline launched in November 2013 in Airedale, Wharfedale, and Craven. By April 2014, it expanded to Bradford, quickly becoming embedded in the local health system thanks to strong clinical leadership and collaboration across services.

Helping patients and their families

Goldline offers 24/7 telephone support to patients in their last year of life and their carers, providing clinical advice, emotional reassurance, and coordination of care. The service is underpinned by access to the patient’s full health record, ensuring continuity and avoiding the need for families to repeat distressing information.

Goldline now supports around 250 patients at the time of their death each month, with a similar number of new referrals. Over 22,000 people and their families have been supported since the service began and the impact on hospital admissions is apparent:

• 98% of patients remain at home after a call to Goldline.
• Only 15% of patients with Goldline support die in hospital, compared to the national average of 44%.
• 36% of calls are resolved by Goldline alone, 38% referred to district nurses, 21% to GPs or out-of-hours doctors, and 5% to other teams.

Goldline is seen as a real lifeline to patients, families and carers. Those that have used the service give glowing feedback to the dedicated professionals who supported them through the most difficult of times:

“Goldline stopped me from going under and empowered me to be the best carer I could be…It was such a comfort having someone to call, especially in the early hours.”

“Having someone on the phone when scared, panicked, unsure was invaluable to me and my Grandma. What an amazing service.”

Michelle Fleming, a palliative care consultant at Airedale, also highlights the service’s role in reducing pressure on GPs who previously were struggling to keep up with the demand for end-of-life advice and support. She explains:

“Goldline is working throughout the weekends and out of hours. They’re doing an enormous amount of specialist and generalist work that would otherwise fall to out-of-hours GPs.”

Goldline also significantly reduces the burden on out-of-hours services and emergency departments with 55% of all calls occurring out of hours when other services are unavailable.

As Louise Hall, a former Goldline nurse describes:

“Patients and families are advised: if you don’t know what to do, ring Goldline. They’ll work it out for you and coordinate care on your behalf.”

The service also supports carers in administering medications and understanding the dying process, offering both practical and emotional support.

Louise continues:

“Sometimes people just need reassurance. They don’t know what to expect. They don’t know what dying looks like.”

The future of the service

Goldline’s success has sparked interest far beyond its original footprint. In 2024, the service expanded to Harrogate as part of the HELP programme, and discussions are underway with NHS Dorset integrated care board and even the Scottish Government about adopting similar models.

Despite its proven benefits, funding remains a challenge. As Marie notes:

“Goldline could easily be seen as the cherry on top – the icing on the cake that we can’t afford. But it’s not expensive for a 24/7 nurse-led service, and the outcomes speak for themselves.”

The team remains committed to sharing their model and supporting others to replicate its success. With a shared electronic record system), strong collaboration across health-care settings, and a focus on patient-centred care, Goldline sets a gold standard for how integrated services can transform end-of-life care.

As one GP in Harrogate put it:

“I can vouch for this service. It’s absolutely outstanding.”

 For more information including testimonial videos visit https://www.airedale-trust.nhs.uk/service/digital-care-hub/goldline/