HIV in the North West

What are the HIV numbers in North West England?
 

North West England has world class detailed HIV statistics - the best of any region in the UK, and in the world. This allows us to follow in detail what is happening in the HIV epidemic in our region. The detailed regional figures come from HIV clinics, social services and community organisations, like George House Trust, working closely together.
 

Anonymised data from all the different organisations in the region is sent to the North West HIV & AIDS Monitoring Unit of the Centre for Public Health, at Liverpool John Moores University. Twice a year detailed reports (and an online database that can be questionned) are published on its website.
 

Maximising the value from the figures

George House Trust makes the maximum use of the statistics to track what is happening in our region. For example our in depth analysis identified that a significant proportion of people disappeared from care at HIV clinics, although many people continue to be in touch with community services, such as George House Trust.

We have also identified growing numbers of teenagers starting their sexual lives - a very challenging situation for teenagers with HIV.

There is a rapidly rising proportion of older people with HIV - again a group with very particular needs. There are already 900 people diagnosed in this region who are over 50, but we can confidently predict this will triple within 10 years. 

From 3 to over 5,600 in 25 years
Since George House Trust was set up in 1985, when there were just 3 gay men being treated for AIDS in the region, the scale and nature of the HIV epidemic has changed enormously. George House Trust has constantly developed our services to meet the changing needs.
 

Global changes seen in NW England
The biggest change in the past 15 years or so has been the influence of the global HIV pandemic, seen in the number of people from abroad, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV is most concentrated. Migration has always happened – people coming as students, tourists, visiting family, to work or seeking asylum.
The stark impact we see is many more people living in serious poverty or even completely destitute, some with no income or right to work.
 

Children and families
There are now many more families and children living with or affected by HIV, and we have developed a close partnership with Barnardo’s Gregory's Place who are based close by. Barnardo’s provide crèche facilities while parents use our services, and do excellent work supporting children and families.

Key statistics on HIV in the North West
5,601 people were diagnosed and using HIV services in North West England at the end of June 2009.
 

The Health Protection Agency estimates that around one third more people are undiagnosed. That means the total in the NW of England living with HIV is actually around 7,500.
 

The council districts with the highest numbers are

• Manchester (1611)
• Salford (473)
• Liverpool (435) 
• Blackpool (296)

Within Greater Manchester, the greatest numbers of people with HIV are living in Manchester (1611) and Salford (473), with Bolton (227) and Trafford (177) following.
 

Manchester has 29% of all the people known to have HIV in North West England.
 

• 51% of people known to have HIV in the region were infected as a result of sex between men
• 37% of people known to have HIV in NW England were infected abroad, up from 19% in 1998. Most are migrants from Africa but a significant number are British who were infected abroad while working or on holiday.
   

The majority (81%) of people infected abroad became HIV positive through heterosexual sex, overwhelmingly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the global epidemic is most concentrated.
 

New Cases

In the last full year for which we have figures (2008) there were 925 new cases of HIV, 48% through heterosexual sex.
 

Infections that happened in the UK

Most of the HIV infections that happen in the UK, are among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men – 316 of the 427 new cases between men occured in the UK. There were 85 new heterosexual cases that happened in the UK, but at least 311 other heterosexual  transmissions happened abroad.
 

Latest figures

The latest statistics are published by the North West HIV & AIDS Monitoring Unit of the Centre for Public Health, at Liverpool John Moores University
 

George House Trust serves North West England
The North West HIV & AIDS Monitoring Unit reports show that year on year the community sector provides an enormous range of support to people living with HIV. George House Trust is the largest provider, by a long mile, of community sector HIV support in NW England, and we also provide support and specialist expertise to across the region.
 

• George House Trust supported 1903 people, in 2008
• The next community organisation (Body Positive North West) supported 980
• George House Trust’s partner Barnardo’s Gregory’s Place supported 200 children and parents
• Sahir House (Liverpool) supported 144 people
• Black Health Agency (Manchester) supported 59 individuals
• SHIVER (Blackpool) supported 43 people.