A centre which treats patients with HIV/Aids is moving to a new base.

The Elton John Centre is transferring from Brighton General Hospital to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Eastern Road.

Inpatients will be moved on to the Howard 2 ward while the day care unit and research department will be based at Sussex House in Abbey Road.

HIV inpatient services have been provided from Brighton General since 1997, which meant patients and staff had to move between sites as the HIV outpatients department was at the Royal Sussex, The trust has planned for some time to move services on to one hospital site so people with HIV/Aids can get specialist support and back up more quickly.

The new inpatient area will have a communal lounge/TV room and six patient rooms with private toilet facilities.

This move will happen on Sunday.

Paul Clift is the patient representative at the centre whose job is to provide a link between patients and the doctors and nurses who treat them.

He supported the move and said: "I am looking forward to the Elton John Centre moving to a more easily accessible location at the County and continuing the high standard of care that we have rightly become accustomed to."

The same team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and all support staff will move with the service.

Following discussions with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the facilities relocated to Sussex House will keep the Elton John Centre name.

The inpatient changeover takes place on Sunday and the day care centre will move over on July 30.

The ward's new contact number is 01273 523062.