GHT's Trustees agree a Strategic Partnership Position Statement

posted: 02/06/2011

This position statement comes during the worst economic recession to impact on the voluntary sector in the UK in living history. As a consequence, many charities face significant funding cuts, some have already ceased trading and up to 50% of charities in the UK are not expected to survive the recession.

The Trustees of George House Trust (GHT) are particularly concerned about the future of HIV social care services for people living with HIV across the North West of England.There is a real danger that the strong legacy of the HIV social care sector could be lost.

GHT’s Trustees believe that it is vital that HIV social care provision is maintained for all people living with HIV.In order to achieve this, charities within the HIV sector in the North West, and across the UK if necessary, will need to explore dynamic and creative ways of working together strategically.

This work could take a number of forms: from greater sharing of information and knowledge through to pooling resources, joint funding applications, influencing commissioners, forming consortia in order to win contracts and mergers.

GHT welcomes opportunities to explore new ways of working with highly regarded charities within the HIV sector. This will help to ensure the survival of HIV social care services within the North West. 

Anyone requesting further details should contact our Chief Executive Rosie Robinson.

Securing HIV Community’s Future

posted: 10/02/2011

The future for both people with HIV, community and council HIV services is threatened and unstable now because of the government’s responses to the economic situation. Despite the negative outlook, HIV organisations must focus on making the most of what opportunities there are.
 

A new report, Securing Our Future, makes eight action point recommendations for the HIV community sector, based on the views of people with HIV, findings from an online survey, and the views of HIV organisations.

Securing our Future was the work of three London-based HIV organisations - Naz Project London, Positive East and Positively UK (formerly Positively Women), working together as the Counterpoint Policy Alliance.

8 Community Actions

As a result of all the feedback received from the surveys, focus groups and stakeholders, the Counterpoint Policy Alliance identifies eight key action points or recommendations for the HIV charity sector:

1. Maximise the role of people living with HIV working as peers to address their needs and change perceptions about HIV
2. Ensure the sustainability especially of peer-based personal support services (one-to-one, mentoring and support groups), and mental health counselling for people living with HIV and their families
3. Facilitate a process among people living with HIV to build a shared vision of what the HIV charity sector would look like in 5 years, in 2016 
4. Increase innovative sharing and use of peer volunteers across HIV charities
5. Build a unified and strong advocacy voice across HIV charities
6. Initiate a mentoring programme where larger HIV charities are available to assist smaller ones as / if needed, e.g., to understand the changing economic and social environment, and analytical skills to accurately identify what the implications are for the organisation and how best to respond
7. Encourage more partnerships among HIV charities that share back
   office and service delivery functions
8. Explore merger options among HIV charities that avoid homogenisation, and maintain community relationships as well as the ability to target and tailor for specific needs and sub-populations.

As the report tells us “We are moving into an era of radical revamping of the NHS and how health and social care services are provided.

"It is vital that we maximise opportunities to ensure that the needs, views and experiences of people and communities affected by HIV are at the centre of public policy and development.

"In order to achieve this and take forward the above eight recommendations, there will need to be increasing levels of collaboration across the HIV charity sector.”

Securing our Future

Positive Gay Outcomes on the Mersey

posted: 15/10/2009

Positive Outcomes is a half day mini conference for professionals. Sahir House, with George House Trust, the Armistead Centre and Terrence Higgins Trust Wirral, are promoting new services for HIV positive gay and bisexual men on Merseyside and improving how the statutory and voluntary sectors work together.

The aims are:
• up to date information on the wide range of community services for HIV+ gay and bisexual men
• joined-up services for HIV positive men across the sectors
• fast and effective referrals
 

The programme will include:
• Details of newly diagnosed courses, residential weekends and other services from Sahir House and George House Trust;
• Details of peer support, home visits, specialist counselling, in depth one to one casework services from THT and Armistead;
• Discussion on improving partnership working to meet people’s needs
 

Who for?
Anyone involved in supporting or improving the lives of HIV positive gay or bisexual men in Merseyside, including commissioners, community nurses, drugs workers, GPs, health advisors, medical specialists, nurse specialists, public health specialists, social workers and support workers are invited.

Where and When?
Friday 09.30-12.30, 23 October 2009, in Liverpool City Centre.
 

Booking essential
Free but you need to book in advance. A few places still available – to book please email Nicholas Kavanagh at Sahir House or ring him on 0151 708 9080.
 

Positive Outcomes in Merseyside

posted: 28/09/2009

Positive Outcomes is a half day mini conference for professionals from across a range of disciplines. Sahir House, with George House Trust, the Armistead Centre and Terrence Higgins Trust Wirral, want to share information about new services for HIV positive gay and bisexual men and to discuss better ways of working between the statutory and voluntary sectors.
 

The aims of the event are:

• up to date information on the wide range of services available from community organisations
• provide a more joined-up package of services for HIV positive men across the voluntary, statutory and community sectors
• help practitioners make fast and effective referrals

The programme will include:

• Information about services run by both Sahir House and George House Trust – newly diagnosed courses, residential weekends etc;
• Information on services from THT and Armistead (peer support, home visits, specialist counselling, in depth one to one casework etc);
• A chance for all delegates to contribute their views about partnership working to meet patient/client needs, and how this can be improved

Who for?

Anyone involved in supporting or improving the lives HIV positive gay or bisexual men in Merseyside, including commissioners, community nurses, drugs workers, GPs, health advisors, medical specialists, nurse specialists, public health specialists, social workers and support workers are invited.
 

Where and When?

The event is on the morning of Friday 23rd October 2009, in Liverpool City Centre.

Booking essential

Attendance is free and by prior booking only by Wednesday 7 October. To book a place please email Nicholas Kavanagh at Sahir House or ring him on 0151 708 9080.
 

programme

9:30 Arrival and refreshments
9:45 Welcome and introduction
10:00 Info blast – a rough guide to services for gay & bisexual men at Sahir House
10:15 Info blast from Armistead
10:30 Info blast from THT Wirral
 

10:45 Break
11:00 George House Trust – Newly Diagnosed Courses and Residentials
11:15 Course participant speaks about positive experiences
11:20 Q&A session
 

11:30 Introduction of group work session
11:35 Delegates split into groups to look at unmet needs, partnership working etc
12:05 Groups feed back
12:30 Close

The second half of the morning is dedicated to an open table discussion where all delegates can have a chance to speak about what they feel are the unmet needs in the sector, discuss closer partnership working and networking and plan future activities.
 

This partnership event is unique in this year’s calendar in terms of the organisations it is bringing together and the subject matter under discussion.

The organisers would like to invite any interested parties but would particularly hope that among the delegates there will be clinicians, managers and/or workers from each hospital trust GUM, each PCT, each public health department and a range of related 3rd sector organisations in sectors such as housing, homelessness, drug and alcohol etc.