Pioneering Edinburgh AIDS hospice that served as 'sanctuary for many' to close
A pioneering Edinburgh AIDS hospice is set to change hands as the needs of patients 'has evolved'.
Milestone House, which opened back in 1991 by Waverley Care, provided end of life care for those who were dying from AIDS. When it launched, with a visit from Princess Diana, it was the UK's first purpose built AIDS hospice and saw many say goodbye to loved ones in its walls.
With treatments becoming more successful, and patients living 'really well' within the community, the service is no longer needed and will be transferred. The building, on Oxgangs Road North, will continue to provide services for those experiencing homelessness or affected by substance use which Waverley Care have been doing since the pandemic.
Grant Sugden, Chief Executive at Waverley Care, told Edinburgh Live that the time is right for the move.
While he feels that the support they've been offering since 2020 has been valuable, it has 'moved away from the core mission'. He added: "Milestone opened in 1991, and was the UK's first purpose-built AIDS hospice. It provided end of life care to people who were dying of AIDs, there were no treatments at that time.
"It was about end of life care, and providing dignity and support to those people in very difficult times. It's evolved as HIV evolved, we got treatments in 1997 so it became more of a respite care model providing services to those living with HIV or Hepatitis C who had complex health needs.
"Since 2020, it's been providing a very different service for a different population. We're in the process of transferring to a new provider, so the service will continue. In terms of HIV, this is good news. We no longer need a service like Milestone.
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"We were then seeing a decline in demand for the service, people can live really well in the community when they're on treatment. During the pandemic we were asked to support the NHS and the council by providing a services for a whole range of people. The focus isn't on HIV at the building anymore, so we're not the right organisation to be providing it."
The charity feels that with HIV 'no longer being the diagnosis it once was', they are able to provide outreach services and continue with their core mission. Grant added: "It's really good news that treatment has evolved so much that Milestone isn't needed.
"It's been a very important and special place for many people, those who lost members of their family at Milestone, so we're looking into how we can mark and reflect on the significance of that."
Staff at Milestone will be transferred to the new provider, who will continue to provide the same service for those experiencing homelessness and issues with substance use. Staff at Milestone were thanked for their 'continued dedication, compassion and professionalism'.
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Grant added: 'It's not been a financially driven decision, to be honest.
'It's been purely that this service is now for a very different community, and we're not the right organisation for it. Moving forward, we want to be able to focus on the needs of people living with or at risk of HIV and that's our priority.
'We will continue to support people living with and aging with HIV, but we can do that in the community and we can link in with all the other agencies to support them. They don't need to do it in a residential model.'
A spokesperson for Waverley Care added: "After more than 30 years of providing care, compassion, and community, we are preparing to say goodbye to Milestone House, the UK's first purpose-built AIDS hospice and an incredible part of Waverley Care's history.
"As the needs of people living with HIV have changed, and residential care is no longer required, so has our focus. This next chapter allows us to strengthen our work by supporting people affected by HIV and Hepatitis C in their communities.
"We are incredibly proud of Milestone's legacy and the dedicated team who made it the sanctuary it has been for so many years."
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