LifePlus - Web HIV Support
posted: 07/02/2011
Life Plus is a new website that hopes to transform how people live with and manage HIV for life. Life Plus is a fresh set of online, face to face and telephone personalised support tools for people living with HIV in the UK.
It’s been created by the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), people with HIV, along with input from George House Trust and National Aids Manual.
There are around 86,500 people now living with HIV in the UK, and around 7,000 more are diagnosed every year. Life Plus should help take some of the pressure off HIV clinics by offering people with HIV support for living more independently, and longer and healthier lives, while HIV clinics focus help on the people who most need this.
Life Plus aims to support existing NHS HIV clinic care with face to face support, in the parts of the UK with the highest rates of HIV – Manchester, Brighton, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Cardiff. In each of these cities clinic-based health trainers will provide one-to-one support so people can become experts in all aspects of managing and living well with HIV.
The new website, myhiv.org.uk, provides interactive services to suit different people’s needs, including:
- privately and securely storing information to help track and manage your health and treatment better
- reminders for your clinic appointments
- forums to help you build HIV support communities and swop support
- online counselling and advice
- supporting HIV action campaigns
Watch YouTube of the interactive parts of the website
Life Plus has tailored versions specially for Africans, gay men, young people and everyone
Sign up
To get the most out of the site and before you can use some of the sections (like the forums), you need to register. You register at a secure (https) webpage.
Anyone with HIV in the UK can register.
Web and video conferencing at some clinics
For people who don’t have the internet at home (or on mobile), THT is working with some HIV clinics to offer free internet access to this website and video conferencing, so people can talk to experts while still at the clinic.
Elton's welcome
Sir Elton John, Founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation said: “In many ways, the UK response to prevention and treatment of HIV has led the world. I am proud to be launching a new era in HIV services, delighted to be working with THT again, and hopeful that this approach may see opportunities for the management of other long term chronic conditions.”
Anne Aslett, Executive Director of EJAF said: “ When some 30% of HIV patients in the UK who attend their first clinic appointment don’t return, and challenging ARV therapy can result in unplanned treatment breaks, we were looking for a programme that could really help people begin treatment if they needed it and stay adherent for the long term. Life Plus does this in a very flexible and responsible way that also complements and supports healthcare providers.”
Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive for Terrence Higgins Trust said: “Life Plus is a very exciting new type of service provision and comes at a critical time to support the increasingly high numbers of people living with HIV in the UK. HIV is a complex condition so it’s vital that people get the best possible level of support, accessible in a multitude of ways, to ensure they remain healthy.
“HIV service providers and clinicians across the country have been fundamental in shaping Life Plus and these services have been designed to reach people in both rural and urban areas, whether they’re newly diagnosed or have been living with HIV for many years. Thanks to the Elton John AIDS Foundation these services will revolutionise support for people with HIV, helping them to manage their health and treatment more effectively.”
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