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.”

 

Rise in Extreme HIV Poverty

posted: 19/10/2010

A new UK report shows one in six people with HIV are living in poverty. The new report on Poverty and HIV by NAT (National AIDS Trust) and Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) reveals at least one in six people diagnosed with HIV in the UK experienced severe poverty between 2006 and 2009. Furthermore, the level of poverty experienced by people living with HIV has dramatically increased over recent years. In the current climate – and without determined Government action – the poverty crisis for many people living with HIV will get even worse.

The HIV welfare charity Crusaid ran a welfare fund until it merged with THT earlier this year. This report looks back at the recent evidence of HIV poverty from all the applications for help made to Crusaid in the last three years.

Income falls two thirds in 10 years to £42 a week
People paid grants from the Crusaid Hardship Fund, now run by THT, had an average weekly income of just £42 per week – two thirds less income than the average person who claimed 10 years ago (£93). In addition, many have no income at all. Most applicants are now living in extreme poverty, living on only 20 per cent of the average income for a single person.

Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of THT commented:
“The level of poverty people with HIV are experiencing across the UK has dramatically increased over recent years. Where the Hardship Fund used to buy people a fridge, or pay for respite care, now it mainly goes on basic survival – food, clothes, a bed.”

Causes of HIV poverty

The report analyses the underlying reasons why people with HIV face poverty. Over a quarter (29 per cent) of applications to the Hardship Fund gave the immigration system as the main reason for poverty. In October 2009, the Government support for single asylum seekers was reduced from £64.30 to £35.13 a week - just £5 a day. A further 17 per cent of people said that problems relating to the benefits system were the main cause of hardship. These problems included awaiting a benefit decision, changes to the benefit system, or delays in receiving benefits they were entitled to.

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust), commented:
“Charities are picking up the pieces of a poverty crisis in the UK, but there is only so much the sector’s limited funds can do. The Government needs to address the underlying causes of this hardship, some of which it has been responsible for creating. Granting asylum seekers the right to work after six months and ensuring people are not left in poverty while waiting for their benefits to be processed are two crucial steps that would release many people with HIV out of the poverty trap.

20 ideas for change
The report makes twenty recommendations that would address the root causes of poverty amongst people living with HIV.

Benefit delays make homeless
James, 35 years old and HIV positive, is homeless and sometimes sleeps on floors at friend’s houses and occasionally in shop doorways. He came to the UK as an asylum seeker and was granted leave to remain here. He was then no longer eligible for housing with his asylum support, so he applied for housing benefit but he did not receive any payments. An investigation revealed that backlogs in dealing with benefits claims meant that by the time James’ claim was processed he was homeless and therefore did not qualify for the benefit. James was one of 7,900 people with HIV in the UK who relied on a grant from the Crusaid Hardship Fund in the last three years to pay for basic needs.

George House Trust
In 2009-10 George House Trust assisted 712 people with 3160 grants through both Crusaid and our own HIV welfare fund. George House Trust paid out £112,000 in grants to people with HIV in NW England in that year.

Poverty and HIV - download here

THT Hardship Fund Open

posted: 13/10/2010

The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) Hardship Fund has now opened. People with HIV who need fnancial support can now apply for up to £100. In mid June Crusaid's Hardship Fund merged with Terrence Higgins Trust and the hardship fund closed temporarily. 

The replacement Hardship Fund service from Terrence Higgiins Trust will be fully working from April 2011. In the meantime George House Trust, which is the only approved referring agency in North West England, can apply to the THT hardship fund for grants of up to a maximum of £100 per person. People can't apply direct - they either need to apply through us, or use the Terrence Higgins Direct phone service: THT Direct on 0845 1221 200

If you live in NW England please speak to one of our service advisers for more details - 0161 274 4499. We can help in various ways, including through our own welfare fund, and with benefits and money advice.

Sir Nick Partridge, chief executive of THT, said:

“For years the Hardship Fund has been an important resource, making a real difference to the lives of people with HIV, and THT is fully committed to preserving its legacy. We are working hard to get the national fund fully operational by next spring, and in the meantime we hope our interim fund will continue to help those who need it most.”
 

A report released this week by THT and the National AIDS Trust said that one in six people diagnosed with HIV make use of the fund, and that the majority of beneficiaries are living in “extreme” poverty, on just 20 per cent of the average weekly income. Read more about this here
 

HIV City and Guilds Course in Manchester

posted: 16/09/2010

This City and Guilds qualification, a Level 2 Award in Understanding HIV and AIDS, is designed for people who are interested in HIV and AIDS, or who are working in a job where knowing about HIV would be helpful.
 

So it could be useful for people who work as GPs, nurses, GP reception staff, voluntary workers, probation officers, police officers, teachers, social services staff, staff in drug support services and residential care services, amongst others working in health and social care, as well as interested individuals.
 

This Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) course also runs in Leeds, Birmingham and London, and in Manchester THT runs this course at George House Trust - the first study day is here on 8 October.

The course includes sections on:

• Transmission and prevention of HIV
• Stigma and discrimination in HIV and AIDS
• Managing HIV and AIDS

Joanna Hurren, at City & Guilds, says: “This course is invaluable for anyone wanting to enter a career in the HIV sector. It is also the ideal career development support for someone already working in a role where they need to be aware of issues relating to HIV and AIDS.”

Jackie Redding, Director of Social Care and Service Development for THT said: “We’re delighted to be running this course in Manchester. It raises vital awareness of HIV and gives individuals the knowledge and skills to support individuals affected and tackle the stigma that still sadly exists. I’d encourage anyone interested to get in touch and find out more.”
 

About the course
It is a distance learning course in three units, with two face to face study days in Manchester at George House Trust  (8 October and 3 November), and 44 hours of study time for all units.
 

The course costs £350 + VAT for private sector workers, and £250 + VAT for community and public sector workers - with the possibility of reduction in cases of hardship.
 

Students who have completed the course said:
“The course is a must do for all working in social care or sexual education, no-matter the level.”
“I would recommend the course to anyone non-medically trained working, or hoping to work, in the field of HIV.”
 

Interested?

Sign up for the course, or further information 

or contact Justin Barrett on 020 7812 1727 or email 
 

HIV Hardship Fund ‘Soon’

posted: 05/07/2010

Following Crusaid’s merger last month with Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), THT have vowed to re-open the Crusaid HIV hardship fund "as soon as possible." The hardship fund provides vital financial assistance to people living with HIV.

After addressing thousands of people at Pride London's Trafalgar Square stage, Lisa Power - Corporate Head of Policy at THT - told PinkPaper "The most important thing I have to say today is that we are going to re-open the hardship fund as soon as we can, within the next few months. After that, we're going to make sure it has a long-term future. And that it helps people to help themselves.”

"We've just done a big research project with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which shows that older gay men with HIV are in far more poverty than their peers, so we know that there's a real issue out there. As people survive longer with HIV, it's not just about the pills keeping you well, but also the quality of your life".

When asked about the criticisms surrounding THT's recent merger with Crusaid, Lisa Power rebutted complaints that they are monopolising the HIV and STI community health sector. "We merge with people who approach us, which is what Crusaid did. The issue is about making sure services survive. We represent economies of scale. We represent a whole load of stuff that is available, which smaller organisations can't do alone."
 

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