The “outstanding” Sussex Beacon faces closure as a result of NHS funding cuts, with the prospect of the Brighton charity shutting up shop in six months’ time.
The Beacon, which cares for hundreds of people living with HIV, has made a desperate plea for help to survive.
Its plight has – unusually – prompted a joint response from Brighton and Hove’s three MPs – the Conservative Treasury minister Simon Kirby, Labour’s Peter Kyle and the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas.
Along with the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Warren Morgan, they have written to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to ask him to intervene.
Lynette Lowndes, who chairs the charity’s trustees, said: “Despite fantastic community support and recently being rated ‘outstanding’ by the health regulator, the Sussex Beacon cannot survive the latest statutory funding budget cuts.
“The trustees have regretfully concluded that the charity is facing the very real risk of closing its services which, if it happens, is likely to occur next June.
“This is devastating for both our service users and our amazing team of staff and volunteers.
“Our primary focus will be on supporting them in the coming months and looking for ways to avoid closure of services.”
The charity said: “The Sussex Beacon is facing the prospect of closing services, including its ten-bed inpatient unit, following a reduction in the funding it receives from the NHS.
“The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care for people living with HIV through both inpatient and outpatient services.
“It helps hundreds of people living with HIV in Sussex each year and was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission in September.
“Changes to local commissioning arrangements have led to a reduction in statutory funding.
“The Sussex Beacon has already lost funding and further cuts seem likely in the future.
“The charity costs over £2 million a year to run and cannot continue to absorb the budget 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.
Please help with the “Save the Sussex Beacon” campaign by signing and sharing this petition. I spoke to the staff there this morning and they said this is just sort of thing that could help them with their political lobby for support https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/savethesussexbeacon