A link up between the Ipswich-based St Elizabeth Hospice and East Coast Community Healthcare to help improve adult community services and specialist palliative care across Great Yarmouth and Waveney has been developed.

Now patients are set to benefit from the deal, which begins on April 1 and is worth £207 million over seven years, after the contract was awarded to ECCH by NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group. It will bring together services in a much more joined-up way and will have a greater focus on patient outcomes.

One of the key features is a specialist palliative care service which will be delivered in partnership with St Elizabeth Hospice. This will be a consultant led community-based service, meaning that patients have access to consistent palliative and end of life care across Great Yarmouth and Waveney by offering 24/7 access to advice.

Specialist staff will work closely with other community teams, including social care and the voluntary sector and GP practices, to provide seamless care for patients and their families. Specialist palliative care beds will also be provided within a community hospital, hospice or accredited care home setting.

Verity Jolly, director of patient services at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “St Elizabeth Hospice are delighted with ECCH’s success and are very much looking forward to working with them in the support of patients with a specialist palliative care need and their families.”