DLA to PIP Benefit Plans

posted: 10/05/2011

The benefit called Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will be replaced from 2013 - 14 with a new benefit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The government has just published their detailed proposals for how this new benefit will be assessed and asks for public comments.

Disability Living Allowance some people with HIV now recieve comes in two flavours - the care component (with 3 rates of payment), and the mobility component (with 2 rates of payment). The top rate of the mobility component is converted by many people into a leased car from Motability.
 

The government intends to cut 20% from the benefits bill when they make the change from DLA to PIP, so the rules for Personal Independence Payment are tougher than the DLA rules, so PIP will go to people ‘with the greatest need’. This means some people will no longer get the benefit or will get less than now.
 

Most people get DLA after simply filling in a claim form. Everyone getting PIP will face a medical assessment as well as filling in a claim form.

Most people will want something simple to read and understand. The Disability Alliance has a useful factsheet page which is kept updated.

The official explanation and consultation documents

Comments by 6 June

The deadline for public comments on these proposals is 6 June. Leading HIV organisations will be making comments on these proposals.

Charging Migrants for HIV Treatment

posted: 04/04/2011

The government has said it will soon change the rules about charging people from abroad for most treatment at NHS hospitals in England. At the moment the rules do not affect many people in North West England with HIV but that is likely to change. New Rules will probably appear in June.

The government has also announced another, bigger review of NHS charges. This will look at anything and everything and is intended to save the NHS a lot of money.

The next step is the department of health will publish the new rules for NHS hospital and clinic charges and guidance quickly – probably before June.

They have just published their response to a public consultation so now we know something about what the new rules from June will probably say. George House Trust gave evidence and comments to this consultation.

The Department of Health's plans for the June rules are 

• They won’t change which treatments will be charged for yet – but may do so later.
• The rules will be changed to make it clear that refused asylum seekers who get Section 4 and Section 95 payments do not pay for NHS treatment
• Unaccompanied children will no longer have to pay, but children with parents here can be charged
• They will make clear in the new rules that anyone who has begun HIV treatment that is free of charge (e.g. because they have an asylum claim which has not been finally decided) will continue to receive free HIV treatment
• They will keep putting up posters about charging for treatment in hospitals and clinics, even though they know this frightens some people that need treatment away and can lead to discrimination by hospitals
• They will change the guidance that tells doctors to think about the cost of treatment, because this encourages discrimination
• They will start a new system of telling the UK Borders Agency about the people who owe the NHS money. This will mean people will be refused permission to stay longer, applications for citizenship may be refused and people will be refused a visa to return to the UK if they leave
• They will consider introducing a rule that will force visitors from overseas to have health insurance
• They will look at charging people for primary care (treatment by family doctors)

Free HIV treatment for all?
The Government still has not decided whether to make HIV treatment free for everyone who needs this on public health grounds, like for all other sexually transmitted infections. They say they are still considering this and will report “in due course”.

Next, an even tougher review
They have also announced another major review which is designed to save the NHS a lot of money. This will look at

• Changing the residence rules, including the definition of ordinary residence
• Changing some or all of all the types of treatment and types of people who do not have to pay for NHS treatment
• Making people pay for primary care (that is treatment by family doctors and dentists)
• Changing which bit of the NHS has to pay when people cannot pay
• Making the procedures for checking who should pay tougher before treatment begins
  Making the procedures for collecting charges tougher
• Using new ways to collect charges 
• Requiring migrants to have health insurance 
• They will consider anything and everything else.

They try to soften this tough new cost-saving review by saying “the NHS is, and must remain, ultimately a humanitarian organisation. In undertaking the review, we will be mindful of the NHS’s core values, in particular its obligations to provide urgent treatment to any person irrespective of their status or ability to pay, to protect the vulnerable and respect our obligations on healthcare provision under international treaties . There is no intention to consider policies that would deny access to any group, only whether an individual should be charged. It will consider the full benefits and costs of introducing new charges including risks of deterred or delayed treatment and any other societal costs. In addition, we will ensure that public health considerations are fully factored into proposed rules and processes (ensuring in particular that access policies do not compromise the identification and control of infectious diseases).”

A comprehensive package of confirmed proposals will be put to full public consultation on completion of the review work, in 2012. We may consult separately at an earlier stage on some options, such as primary care charging.
 

You can read the details of the government's proposals for the June regulations and this new review here. The new review details begin on page 24. 

Proposals and Review report

Manchester Event - HIV and Young Carers

posted: 27/01/2011

Young carers and families affected by HIV are under the spotlight at an event in Manchester, in early February.

The Children's Society are running a training and consultation event Affecting Change for Families: Improving services for young carers and their families affected by HIV
on Friday 4th February 2011 at the famous Midland hotel in central Manchester.

No-one is sure how many children in the UK are caring for someone in their home with HIV. It is estimated that there are between 15,000 to 20,000 young carers of people with HIV.

This free event aims to ensure those involved in providing services to families affected by HIV including service managers, policy leads, and senior practitioners in health and the Voluntary and Statutory Sector are equipped with the latest guidance and are able to identify and respond to when a children and/or young people is taking on a caring role and to address wider family issues.

The event

• Find out about the Children's Society’s young carers and families HIV work, funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation
• Learn about the issues faced by young carers and their families affected by HIV
• Obtain new Good Practice guidance in multi-agency working with families affected by HIV
• Inform national practice with your own expertise.

Booking form

More information and bookings

Doctor Talk – What’s Said?

posted: 23/12/2010

You have just 15 minutes to talk with your HIV doctor and the clock is ticking.     What should you talk about?     Are you saying the right thing?     Does your doctor understand you?      Do you understand the doctor?      Is the doctor treating you seriously?

Lindsay Calder and James Miller from Living Well  talk to doctors and patients about this special relationship.

Click to read the article, first published this summer, in HIV Treatment Update.
 

Read about

• What we want from our doctor
• Telling it like it is
• Working the 15-minute slot
• Take PART
• You’ve got mail
• The special relationship
• Information levels

You may also find this helpful : You and Your Doctor factsheet.

HIV Treatment Update  back issues online

Want to Have a Say?

posted: 11/10/2010

George House Trust wants four people to join our SMART group to have a say about our services. The deadline for applying is Monday 1 November.

We believe involving people with HIV in our services is really important. As part of our Service User Involvement Strategy, our SMART group, the Service Monitoring and Review Team, is a key way for people to have a real say in our services.

African and gay men wanted especially

SMART is a team of 16 people who use George House Trust services. SMART reports directly to the Board of George House Trust. We want 4 people to join SMART and we particularly want HIV positive African and gay men to apply, as both of these are under-represented on SMART.

SMART group meets every 2 - 3 months. You will be sent copies of papers to read and think about before the meeting. SMART meetings discuss all aspects of our services. SMART agrees a work plan for what we will discuss each year.

What does SMART do?
SMART involves people with HIV who use services to examine how we deliver services and suggests ways to develop and improve services.

Why get involved?
SMART is one way to be more involved in George House Trust and put something back. Involvement informs you about service delivery and developments as well as how we monitor and evaluate services. Becoming involved in SMART builds your skills and experiences.

What skills and experience do I need to join SMART?

Here are the things we expect of people in the SMART:

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and keep our ground rules at all times
• Being committed to service user involvement and providing feedback
• Making the time to read all the papers before the meetings
• Interested in all services George House Trust provides
• Being committed to working together as part of the SMART team
• To broadly support the work of George House Trust

Deadline: applications must be returned to Lynda by Monday 1st November .

SMART application pack

1. Information and what we are looking for
2. SMART Terms of Reference
3. Application form

Information from and applications to Lynda Shentall, Director of Services by email or phone 0161 274 4499