New Sexual Health Strategy

posted: 21/01/2011

There will, at last, be a new Sexual Health Strategy for England this year. Public Health Minister, Anne Milton, agreed it is time to replace the HIV and sexual health strategy, which was drawn up in 2001.
 

David Cairns MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV & AIDS, shamed English health ministers into action, by making an unfavourable comparison with Scotland, who have a more recent Sexual Health plan.

The All Party Parliamentary Group, and others, repeatedly pushed the Government for a new English strategy.

Finally at a debate on World AIDS Day in Westminster Hall, the Public Health Minister announced there will be a new strategy for England. Anne Milton confirmed it would be more than just a ‘position paper.’
 

“HIV has changed enormously in the last decade. It is now a long-term health condition, not a death sentence, and there are far more people now living with the virus. We’ve been arguing for a new strategy to reflect those changes and I am very pleased that the Government has decided to draw one up this year,” said David Cairns MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group.
 

Remember this?

The 2001 English strategy aimed to:

• reduce the transmission of HIV and STIs
• reduce the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV and STIs
• reduce unintended pregnancy rates
• improve health and social care for people living with HIV
• reduce the stigma associated with HIV and STIs.

To do this the 2001 English Strategy said about HIV, that it would :

• provide clear information about avoiding STIs, including HIV
• increase HIV testing [testing is up]
• ensure there is a sound evidence base of what works in HIV/STI prevention
• set a target to reduce the number of new HIV infections [this target was hopelessly missed]
• develop managed networks for HIV and sexual health services [we have 3 NW networks]
• set a target to reduce the number with undiagnosed HIV [now at last, but we had to wait until 2011]
• ensure earlier access to HIV treatment [This is still a major problem, England has a high level of late HIV diagnosis]
• set standards for treatment, support and social care of people living with HIV [where are the standards for social care support? but we do have excellent standards for treatment]
• prioritise researching good practice in sexual health and HIV

On other sexual health issues the 2001 plan was to 

• evaluate more integrated sexual health services
• screen for Chlamydia
• stress open access to GUM services and more urgent appointments
• ensure a range of contraceptive services are provided
• address the patchy abortion service
• increase hepatitis B vaccinations
• set standards for treating STIs
• train and develop the sexual health workforce
   

New Trustee with Connections

posted: 30/07/2010

David Borrow has just joined the Board of George House Trust as a trustee. Until the election in May, he was the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS, and was a North-West Labour MP. He has shown a close interest in the work of George House Trust.

David will bring valuable skills and useful connections that will help strengthen the ability of Board of Trustees to steer us through the challenges of dealing with the difficult economic situation.
 

National lobbying support
His connections and advice will enable us to work better with all the political parties at a national level for people with HIV. His expertise at the national level will complement the local and regional government expertise Paul Fairweather brings us.
 

David Borrow commented "I worked with the George House Trust when I was in parliament where I was an officer of the All Party HIV Group. I have visited George House Trust every summer and I am really pleased to be invited to contribute to the charity's work as a trustee. I am keen to continue working to tackle the HIV epidemic now I am no longer an MP. I have a lot to learn about the detailed work of George House Trust but I hope I can help make a difference.'
 

All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS
 

Twitter - Parliament Group

posted: 26/02/2010

The Parliamentary Group for HIV has launched a Twitter stream, so you can follow their activities and interests. The All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS brings together MPs and peers interested in HIV.

Follow their tweets here 

Visit of MP Leading on HIV

posted: 10/08/2009

The Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS, David Borrow MP, came on a fact finding tour to George House Trust last week. David Borrow is MP for a NW constituency, South Ribble.  

Two Positive Speakers gave excellent presentations and we also focused on other types of volunteering. We raised issues around funding, people 'lost to treatment'*, and how to improve links with MPs and local councillors.

The visit was useful and appreciated.

This is what he has to say on his website about chairing the All Party Group. 

"Although there are relatively few people in South Ribble directly affected by HIV/AIDS, I have always been interested in doing what I can to build public awareness of the disease both here in the UK and overseas. I have visited the George House Trust in Manchester on a regular basis to see the work they do in the North West, I have also visited African countries such as Botswana, Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia to see the work being undertaken there. Last year I visited FOMO, a Walmer Bridge based charity looking after over 5,000 orphans in Malawi."

All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS

*  Lost to Treatment

Check the next issue of Insight for the results of George House Trust's investigation into hundreds of people diagnosed with HIV who have abandoned their NW HIV clinics. Insight 49, the Pride issue, will be available in paper, and on our website, and as a .pdf file, from 20 August.  

Photo from MP's website

Parliamentary HIV Group News

posted: 08/07/2009

The All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS (APPGA) is where activism and Parliament meet. MPs and peers concerned about HIV make recommendations and lobby for change. 

Here is their latest newsletter telling you what they have been thinking about and campaigning on.

There are updates on global treatment access, graffitti abuse, patent pools for developing new drugs, advertising condoms on TV before 9pm, and the push for routine HIV testing in the parts of the country with the most people affected - outside London and Brighton, that means Manchester, Salford, Blackpool and in the midlands, Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham. Other articles deal with pre-employment questionnaires and paying for global treatment.

APPGA Summer Briefing pdf file (1.19Mb)