Sussex Beacon to become UK's first LGBTQ+ hospice with HIV specialism

In a landmark development, the Sussex Beacon has announced it is set to become the UK’s only dedicated hospice for LGBTQ+ people, uniquely combining inclusive care with expertise in specialist HIV care.

The local charity is refreshing its approach to palliative and end-of-life care services, expanding its offer to the wider LGBTQ+ community, regardless of HIV status.

This development comes while the Sussex Beacon’s work with NHS Sussex continues, to develop its community offer, ensuring that the specialist support is available for people living with HIV across local communities. 

“We are enormously excited by what will become a new chapter for The Sussex Beacon,” said CEO Rachel Brett. “The LGBTQ+ community built The Beacon, and now we will be giving it back, stronger and more inclusive than ever. It was originally founded to offer care in a safe, accepting space for people dying with AIDS-related illnesses.

"Thanks to advances in HIV treatment, our focus has moved to ensure that people across local communities are getting the help and support they need. Further to this, we are delighted that we can use the fantastic facility that we have to refresh our offer of hospice care for the LGBTQ+ community.”

Decades of experience supporting people with HIV have given the Sussex Beacon deep insight into the ongoing impact of stigma and health inequalities. National research, including Hospice UK’s report I Just Want To Be Me, which examines access to care for trans and gender-diverse people and insights from LGBTQ+ organisations, reveals that many LGBTQ+ individuals find healthcare unwelcoming, often encountering insensitivity or a lack of understanding.

“The Sussex Beacon is uniquely placed to change that,” Ms Brett added. “We will not only provide inclusive palliative care, but also act as a national resource, helping other hospices improve their services for LGBTQ+ patients.”

This pioneering approach will be delivered with the support of the NHS. To secure long-term sustainability, the Sussex Beacon will also rely on charitable funding.

“It’s fair to say we need our community behind us now more than ever,” said Ms Brett. “The next few years will be challenging as we make this transition, but with collective support, we’ll create something truly transformative.”

Dr Amy Dissanayake, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at NHS Sussex, said “We are delighted to be working with The Sussex Beacon as they make this step to enhance the high-quality service they can provide the local community.

“In addition to the hospice care, their experience in providing specialist community care for people living with HIV is invaluable and fully supports our ambition to bring care out of hospitals where possible, and into communities, either in people’s homes directly or in their local neighbourhood at community hubs. We look forward to continuing to work with the team at The Sussex Beacon to make this a reality for our population.”