09/10/2026
Tomorrow is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, which takes place every year to raise awareness of hospice and palliative care, to advocate for universal access to these services, and to recognise the millions of patients and families who rely on compassionate end-of-life support.
This year's theme is "Pain Management: An Essential Part Of Palliative Care". Understanding that pain is more than physical is fundamental to good palliative care. For people living with HIV, pain can also present as psychological, social and emotional, and may be shaped by experiences of stigma, isolation, loss and complex health needs.
At The Sussex Beacon, our person-centred palliative care model looks at the whole person, understanding what matters to them and supporting their comfort, dignity, wellbeing and quality of life. Effective pain management means recognising and responding to all the ways pain can affect a person’s life.
We very much look forward to 2027, when we will be reopening our Hospice Clinical Service Unit. Once fully open, the unit will provide palliative care to those living with HIV across Sussex and become the UK’s only dedicated hospice for the LGBTQ+ community.
