Health and Social Care

With effective treatments available for HIV, the majority of people diagnosed with HIV in the UK now have a very good prognosis and long life expectancy.  However people living with HIV still need to be able to access comprehensive health and social care to enable them to live well with HIV. Many people will experience side effects from HIV medication and have health conditions relating to their HIV status.  People also need support and information to help them come to terms with an HIV diagnosis and manage their condition effectively.

Greater investment in health and social care is urgently needed as some people living with HIV are unable to access the services and support they need. The National AIDS Trust campaigns for better treatment, care, support and information for people living with HIV and for people living with HIV to have more involvement in planning their own health and social care.  We are also working to tackle the stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV can face in healthcare settings.

Department of Health and NHS

The National AIDS Trust works closely with the Department of Health, which has overall responsibility for health and social care in England, and the NHS, which is responsible for providing treatment, care, support and information to people living with HIV.  The National AIDS Trust is working to improve the commissioning and delivery of health and social care for people living with HIV and works to ensure that their needs and rights are considered at all levels.

Read our response to the Department of Health consultation on the confidentiality and disclosure of patient information.

For further information and resources visit the Department of Health and NHS webpage.

Stigma and Discrimination in Healthcare:

A third of people living with HIV have experienced HIV-related discrimination and half of those experiences involved healthcare workers.  Discrimination by healthcare professionals is most often reported in dental surgeries and GP practices.  People living with HIV have been removed from GPs' lists and refused dental treatment after disclosing their status. 

The National AIDS Trust works to bring an end to stigma and discrimination among healthcare workers and has produced an HIV in Healthcare pack, which offers advice for healthcare professionals on how to tackle stigma and discrimination.  Download a copy here.

The National AIDS Trust relies on donations, which enable us to carry out this important work.  Find out how you can support us.