100 signatures reached
To: Jeremy Hunt MP, NHS England
Save 'outstanding' flagship HIV charity the Sussex Beacon from cuts to services
An announcement has been made that due to cuts in funding from the NHS, a flagship HIV charity called the Sussex Beacon based in Brighton will be forced to close services. The Sussex Beacon provides essential services to people living with HIV from across the entire UK. The Government must please ensure that sufficient funding is provided to the Sussex Beacon to enable it to continue providing all of its services both now and in future
Why is this important?
In a recent article by GScene Magasine, it was advised that Brighton based HIV charity The Sussex Beacon faces the prospect of closing services, including its ten bed inpatient unit, following a reduction in funding it receives from the NHS.
The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care to people living with HIV through inpatient and outpatient services. It helps hundreds of people living with HIV each year and was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission in September.
Changes to local commissioning arrangements have led to a reduction in funding from some statutory funders. The Sussex Beacon has already lost funding with further cuts likely to follow in the near future.
The charity costs over £2 million a year to run and the Charity Trustees say they cannot continue to absorb these cuts.
While many people living with HIV are now able to live long and healthy lives, there are still many who need specialist services.
Last year The Sussex Beacon’s inpatient unit had 233 admissions and was full for the majority of the year. It provided over 2,000 bed nights, relieving pressure on both health and social care services in Sussex.
Please use #SaveTheSussexBeacon when sharing to help build momentum and to let the Sussex Beacon staff see what you are doing to help
How it will be delivered
We are planning on delivering the petition along with the 3 MPs from the Brighton and Hove (being Conservative MP Simon Kirby, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Labour MP Peter Kyle) in person to the Houses of Parliament.
