A group of HIV organisations has produced a framework for the provision of social care, support and information provided to people with HIV in England.
Commissioned by THT, the framework was developed by Sigma Research in collaboration with leading HIV organisations including the African HIV Policy Network, Black Health Agency, George House Trust, NAM, NAT and Positively Women.
It outlines work needed to support people with HIV in three core areas: individual needs; service needs; and societal needs.
Goals in 17 broad areas are outlined, the achievement of which would mean that services are in place to meet the social care, support and information needs of people with HIV in the UK that are equal to the high quality clinical care already available in England.
Although the goals are ambitious and aspirational, the authors believe that it is “important to lay out what should exist in order to be able to work towards it.”
Specific goals include:
- Financial: No person with HIV in England lives in absolute financial poverty of destitution.
- Housing: All people with HIV in England have accommodation that meets government standards.
- Nutrition: That people with HIV in England have the knowledge and resources to eat adequately to maximise their health.
- Employment and education: Opportunities for people with HIV should be the same as those for everyone else in England.
- Information: Good quality, accurate and up to date information on all aspects of living with HIV should be readily accessible.
- Sexual health: People with HIV should be able to pursue safe, satisfying and pleasurable sex lives.
- Reproductive health: HIV-positive individuals and their partners should be able to make informed choices about the risk of transmission and methods of conception.
- Social care: Services should support people with HIV living independently.
- Primary care: The full range of primary care services should be accessible to people with HIV.
- Mental health: The government should commit itself to tackling the stigma and discrimination that can contribute to poorer mental health in people with HIV.
- Government policy: All policy should adhere to the Disability Discrimination Act.
- Discrimination: Information, resources and support should be available to help people with HIV resist discrimination.
- Immigration: All HIV-positive migrants to the UK should have access to free health care.
Katherine Moulder of George House Trust in Manchester believes that the framework is an important first step towards meeting the social care needs of people with HIV. She commented: “For almost 25 years, HIV services have bee frustrated by the lack of any national vision for meeting the non-medical needs of people living with HIV but now we have a picture of the huge task before us.”
It is hoped also hoped that the framework will help people with HIV access the services they need.
HIV-positive individual Kevin Julian said: “As someone living with HIV, I think this framework is a really useful guide to the find of support I could ask for should I need it. As well as controlling the virus, people with HIV often face a range of other challenges which are outlined really clearly in this document.”
The framework can be read online here