HIV in Tameside and Glossop

posted: 15/09/2010

George House Trust has completed a HIV Needs Assessment for Tameside and Glossop. It involved a survey and discussions with local people with HIV, a detailed study of the HIV statistics and use of treatment, community and social services. Key prefessionals involved in providing services were interviewed and a report with recommendations has been passed to Tameside & Glossop Primary Care Trust and Tameside Metropolitan Council. The Tameside and Glossop Needs Assessment is to assist HIV service planning and development.

There are significant changes that will be affecting the NHS, Tameside Adult Care, the AIDS Support Grant, and funding challenges, all of which mean the context for this assessment has many uncertainties.
 

Generally Working Well

Health, social and community care for Tameside & Glossop residents with and affected by HIV are generally well regarded and working well.
 

There are 157 residents of Tameside and Glossop known to be living with HIV, who were receiving HIV care in 2009. Around one quarter to one third of people with HIV do not yet know this; the total HIV population is likely to be around 210.
 

Survey and number crunching

30 people (20% of people living with HIV in the district) took part in an online and paper survey, others attended a focus group, and interviews with key professionals built on the findings from detailed analysis of the published statistical data and records of service use.
 

Prejudice, Stigma and Discrimination

The challenge that people with HIV face is that HIV is a long-term incurable condition that evokes strong prejudice and discrimination among others, and that bears disproportionately on sections of the community that are already marginalised. The HIV prejudice and discrimination is what makes accessing most services and resolving most of life’s challenges far more complex for people with HIV.
 

Challenges

Some of the challenges for Tameside and Glossop service providers and commissioners are 

• HIV among injecting drug users has become over-looked and there is a gap in HIV awareness, prevention and support services that risks further HIV transmissions. 
• Late diagnosis of HIV is a problem across North West England, and Tameside and Glossop has among the worst rates in England. 
• The proportion of older people (over 50 years) with HIV, who usually have more complex needs, is relatively high in Tameside & Glossop and is set to grow significantly, from around 19% to nearly half within the next ten years. 
• Children’s Social Work and Safeguarding Children Board needs to change their practice, to support and protect vulnerable young people with HIV. 
• Better co-ordination and strategic planning for HIV health and social care is required.
• Existing social care services have much to offer that would meet the needs of people with HIV locally. Outreach social services need to become HIV aware, accessible and HIV-friendly and be actively promoted to people with HIV.

Diagnosed 7 Years Plus Event

posted: 10/08/2010

How we think and feel about HIV, and our needs for support may change, the longer we have had HIV. This is your chance to meet up with others, share your experiences of living with a HIV diagnosis for seven or more years, and to learn from others.

If you were diagnosed over 7 years ago, this is specially for you and others in the same position. Are there different support needs as you gain more years of experience with HIV? 
 

Lynda Shentall – Director of Services is leading this event, and you can simply turn up on the evening. If you have never been to George House Trust before, please call us first - 0161 274 4499.

When, Where

Wednesday 15 September

6.00pm to 8.00pm

George House Trust, 77 Ardwick Green North, Manchester

Need more information?

For more information call Lynda on 0161 274 5652 or email her.

Snacks and travel

There will be light refreshments and the normal travel expenses.
 

50 Pounds Prizes for Tameside and Glossop People

posted: 23/07/2010

There are two prizes of £50 each for winners drawn out of a hat. If you live in Tameside and Glossop district, please take part in our confidential and anonymous survey into the needs of people living with HIV.

Tameside & Glossop NHS and Tameside Council have asked George House Trust to do a HIV Needs Assessment. As part of this we need to know what people living with and affected by HIV think about services and what's needed.
 

Those £50 prizes
The two prizes of £50 cash will be paid to winners drawn from all replies. If you want to be in the prize draw we will need some way to contact you if you win, but the survey is anonymous and confidential. The survey is on a secure website like a bank - one with a https  web address.
 

Take Part Now The survey is online now at SurveyMonkey. If you tried before but couldn't take part, sorry for the technical fault, it is open now.

Or you can download and print a paper copy and then post your answers to Chris at George House Trust. Or ask the HIV clinic at Ashton Primary Care Centre for a copy.

Deadline for prize draw  - Tuesday 24 August

Come and Talk About HIV Needs - Monday 23 August

On Monday 23 August, between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, Chris Morley from George House Trust will be at the Volunteer Centre, 95-97 Penny Meadow, near Ashton u Lyne bus station, for people living in the district to talk about HIV services and their needs.

Tea, coffee, snack food and reasonable travel expenses available.

How to find Tameside Volunteer Centre - map and directions

email Chris for more information

Need help to have a say?

We want everyone with HIV in Tameside and Glossop to be able to have their say. If you, or someone you know, wants to take part but needs help in some way, please contact Chris by email, phone 0161 274 4499, or post to Chris, George House Trust, FREEPOST NWW 1004, Manchester, M12 9GH, and we will do what we can to help.

Your Say

George House Trust is committed to involving HIV positive people in our work for Councils and the NHS. We know a strong service user voice is important. However we have no control over the decisions that Tameside & Glossop NHS and the Council may make following this consultation and our report. On this website we will report the results of this consultation and the recommendations, in the autumn.

Have Your Say - Tameside and Glossop

posted: 19/05/2010

People living in the Tameside and Glossop districts are asked to take part in this survey about existing services and the needs of people who are living with or affected by HIV. Both Tameside & Glossop NHS and Tameside Council have asked George House Trust to do a HIV Needs Assessment. As part of this we need to know what residents living with and affected by HIV think and need.
 

£50 prizes
There are two prizes of £50 cash which will be paid to winners drawn from all replies. If you want to be in the prize draw we will need contact details to tell the winners, but the survey is anonymous and confidential.
 

Take Part Now

The survey is now online at SurveyMonkey or you can download and print a paper copy and then post your answers to Chris.

The HIV clinic at Ashton Primary Care Centre will also have paper copies.

Final Report and recommendations

The final report should be published later this summer with the ecommendations to the Council and the NHS.

Older People and HIV

posted: 04/01/2010

HIV among older people is coming to attention more and more. More people are living longer with HIV, especially because of effective HIV treatments, and more older people are being diagnosed with HIV - often at a late stage of infection - and other older people are at more risk of HIV.

We've now added some useful 'Older' links to the website to pull together some of the available information, to help interested individuals, service providers and policy makers to act. Most of these materials are from North America, mostly the USA. We will add UK and other European links as useful information becomes available.

If you search our website for key words like 'older' you will find relevant news from the UK as well as other information.

UK organisations - HIV and older people's - are now working on HIV service development for older people. For example in NW England, George House Trust is meeting with Manchester Public Health Development Services to help develop the sexual health strategy for older people.

HIV and older people in NW England

By the middle of 2009, NW England had 950 people diagnosed with HIV over 50. 950 people is 17% of all people diagnosed with HIV in the region. In ten years time this number and the proportion will have very rapidly grown, probably by well over 2000, because there are almost that many people in their 40s already diagnosed with HIV in the region. 

Most of the 950 people diagnosed with HIV in the region are gay and bisexual men - 60%. Most of the rest of diagnosed people over 50 are heterosexual men and women (34% - with around 2:1 of them being men).