Parliamentary event highlights why we must tackle inequalities and ensure living well with HIV
National AIDS Trust are proud to provide the secretariat of HIV Outcomes UK, a coalition of experts working to secure changes to improve the health-related quality of life for people living with HIV in the UK. This week HIV Outcomes UK partnered with the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS to host an event in Westminster exploring ending health inequalities in HIV and how Parliament can achieve a good quality of life for all.
The event, chaired by Florence Eshalomi MP, used findings from the Positive Voices 2022 report, which highlighted stark inequalities and barriers for good health, to discuss the urgent action needed to support all living with HIV to have a good health-related quality of life.
Our speaker panel of leaders in the UK’s HIV response focussed on the steps which can be taken through the UK Government’s HIV Action Plan to tackle these inequalities and ensure living well with HIV. This included driving better HIV care engagement and integration, ensuring provision of peer-support, better meeting the mental health needs of people living with HIV, and tackling stigma as a barrier to care.
James Cole, Senior Policy, Research and Influencing Manager at National AIDS Trust, said: “The HIV Outcomes UK parliamentary event highlighted the collective commitment to ensuring that health-related quality of life is a priority in the HIV response both in the UK and globally. People living with HIV must be able to live not just long lives, but lives that are healthy, happy and fulfilled. “We would like to thank all of the speakers, and all attendees, who contributed to a truly galvanising event, focussing on tangible, evidence-based interventions which aim to reduce health inequalities in HIV.”
To sign up to HIV Outcomes UK’s newsletter and download our recommendations briefing on the Positive Voice report, please go to our webpage here. HIV Outcomes UK would be pleased to partner on work and we’d be keen to hear from you.
HIV Outcomes UK is supported by ViiV Healthcare and Gilead as co-sponsors.
Speakers at the event included: Adamma Aghaizu (UKHSA’s lead researcher for the Positive Voices 2022 report), Dr Nicoletta Polichek (Co-chair of HIV Outcomes UK), Preet Kaur Gill MP (Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health), Professor Kevin Fenton (Regional Public Health Director at NHS London), Darren Knight (Chief Executive of George House Trust) and Christine Stegling (Deputy Executive Director of the Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Branch at UNAIDS).
