Below is a brief overview of some of the major projects we are currently working on.  If you would like to provide information about any of these areas or if there are other issues that you think we should be working on please let us know.

Current Priorities

Entitlements and expectations for HIV services – resources for people living with HIV

We are creating a suite of resources for people living with HIV to explain what they can expect from their HIV health, social care and other relevant services.  These will take into account the changes to NHS and public health structures, and how people living with HIV can influence service planning and provision in their local area.

Policy Lead - Sarah Radcliffe

Harm Reduction Services for people who use drugs

The provision for injecting drug users of clean injecting equipment and opioid substitution treatment ('OST', such as methadone) has played a vital role in keeping rates of HIV amongst injecting drug users in the UK very low.  There are now concerns that the Government in England plans to undermine OST in particular by an emphasis on 'full recovery', incentivising the moving of people off OST and on to abstinence.  This may be the right approach for some people but it is dangerous as a single option for everyone. It risks increasing injecting and relapse.  NAT is working with a range of bodies in the drugs, hepatitis and HIV sectors to advocate for the Government to return to a more balanced and evidence-based approach. 

Policy Lead - Yusef Azad

Confidentiality on HIV status within the NHS

We are collecting information on the current law, policy and practice within the NHS relating to the handling and sharing of personal medical information of people living with HIV. We will investigate what legislation will be in place to give confidentiality protections for people living with HIV when the Venereal Disease Regulations will no longer apply and will be revoked. We will also consider the current and proposed use of the NHS number for people living with HIV.

Policy Lead - Yusef Azad

Funeral care

NAT has learnt that some funeral directors have refused to fully handle funeral arrangements for HIV positive people who have died. NAT will be working to address this discrimination and secure changes in policy and practice as soon as possible. We are now waiting to participate in the forthcoming review of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance pertaining to funeral directors, which we have reason to believe is at the root of such practices.

Policy lead - Sally Thomas

Housing and HIV
 
Housing is rising up the national agenda due to cuts in funding, the reforms introduced in the Localism Act 2011, and through the changes being introduced to housing benefit. These are all having an impact on those who need access to good quality affordable housing. NAT is currently focusing on the impact of the these changes on people living with HIV and how local authorities are potentially using the new powers granted to them in Localism Act 2011 to allocate social housing.
 
Building on NAT's research into Housing and HIV and our practical guide for housing professionals on HIV and its impact on housing need; NAT is working to refresh our research on this important issue. In February 2103 we conducted a short survey into the housing advice and support needs of people living with HIV; and in April 2013 we published a briefing on the outcomes of this survey. Although the survey is now closed we would welcome more information how housing and HIV interact.
 
Policy lead – Philip Glanville

Other things we are currently working on include:

• Personal Independence Payment and HIV
  Engaging with the development of the new benefit assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which will replace DLA, and ensuring that the needs of people of HIV are considered in this process. In April 2013 we produced an updated Factsheet on PIP.
  Policy Lead - Philip Glanville
• Accessing social care services 
  We are developing a briefing paper on the ability of the FACS assessment process to proper account of the social care needs of people living with HIV.  
  Policy Lead - Philip Glanville
• Survey of HIV Care in Immigration Removal Centres
  Conducting a survey of HIV care in Immigration Removal Centres.
  Policy Lead - Sarah Radcliffe
• The experiences of people living with HIV in the WRAG
  Gathering information on the experiences of people living with HIV who have been placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) following a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), in particular looking at what support they are recieving, whether they have been referred to the Work Programme and if so what their experiences of that are.
  Policy lead - Philip Glanville
• Police occupational health policies and training
  Following on from our recent review of police blood borne virus occupational health policies and training materials, NAT is producing some guidance for police staff which reflects the real risk of HIV transmission at work. This aims to reduce unnecessary fear of HIV and improve the way people living with HIV are treated by the police.  
  Policy lead - Philip Glanville