Category: work
HIV and Sickness Benefits
posted: 03/05/2011
Before the May Day holidays the Department of Work and Pensions got a lot of press coverage by claiming that its reforms of sickness benefits were working. It claimed three quarters of the people applying for the new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) are either fit for work or stop their claim before they’ve had the medical assessment. They claimed this proved the need to urgently reform benefits, and that Ministers are right to reassess everyone on incapacity benefit.
Don't give up on benefits with HIV
People living with HIV who are claiming benefits for sickness – either Employment Support Allowance or Incapacity Benefit - should not feel intimidated. Benefit experts and the National AIDS Trust point out that the system isn’t working properly for people with HIV. But people with HIV very often win if they don’t give up, stick with their claims and get expert help. Very many people with HIV win if they appeal.
False logic
The Department of Work and Pensions is wrong to claim that lots of refused claims and high rates of drop outs from medicals prove the new system of ‘Work Capability Assessments’ is working. For people with HIV these show the system is seriously failing. People with HIV can and do win with help.
HIV and long term conditions
Research by NAT shows that people living with HIV are being found ‘fit for work’ despite medical evidence showing a range of serious physical and mental health problems. These include severe immune deficiency, co-infection with pneumonia or TB, fatigue, depression and debilitating side-effects from essential HIV treatment.
Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust), commented:
‘The refusal of 39% of ESA claims is not conclusive evidence that Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is effective. These claimants may be found ‘fit for work’ under the rules of WCA, but many face very real health-related barriers to work which have been overlooked during the assessment process.
NAT is also extremely concerned by the high drop-out rate of 36% before a decision on the benefits is made. Dropping a claim does not prove someone is not eligibile for Employment Support Allowance. NAT continued ‘An independent review of the Work Capability Assessment revealed serious problems with decision-making and administration, and real failures in the way the DWP communicated with claimants. Stopping a claim halfway, points towards fundamental flaws in the system – which are yet to be resolved.’
More information
If you live in NW England with HIV and and have problems with benefits please contact our support team
DWP statistics can be found here
NAT’s report ‘Unseen disability, Unmet needs - A review of the impact of Work Capability Assessment on people living with HIV’
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is the test undertaken to determine whether a person is eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The WCA aims to identify claimants who have ‘limited capacity for work’ or ‘limited capacity for work-related activity’, so that they may receive the right support to help them live well and (where appropriate) return to work. Those who are found ‘fit for work’ are not entitled to receive ESA. The test contains a series of questions, called ‘descriptors’, which relate to physical and mental functions, and from which claimants score points.
The report of the Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment
In October 2008, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) was introduced to replace Incapacity Benefit and Incapacity-based Income Support as the primary income support benefit for people who are unable to work due to disability or illness.
Permalink
Changes to Our Services
posted: 18/04/2011
There are some exciting changes to services at George House Trust. Some of the group spaces will happen less often, but we will have three new services for everyone. People using George House Trust services have asked us for more chances to meet with a wide mix of people living with HIV – opportunities to meet others that are not based on gender, race, or sexuality.
Saturday Space is every month and will stay the same.
Weekly Gay Men’s Space
For the time being Gay Men’s Space will stay weekly on Monday evenings. This will be reviewed over the next 5 months. For now the gay men’s space is funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation but this funding will stop at the end of September. We have already talked about this at the space and all changes will be discussed fully with men at the space before changes are made.
African Space on 1st Tuesday of every month
The African Space will become monthly starting in May. African Space will be the first Tuesday of the month. It will be just like the African Space is now.
Coffee Morning on 2nd Tuesdays of every month
There will be a new Coffee Morning, run by volunteers on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, starting on the 10th of May. This will be from 10.30 – 12.30 and there will be a crèche. Coffee Mornings are for all people living with HIV. The Coffee Mornings will be run by volunteers and during the Coffee Morning there will be no access to staff, the reception, computers, phone nor emergency payments.
Women’s Space on 3rd Tuesday of every month
The Women’s Space will become monthly starting in May. Women’s Space will be the third Tuesday. It will be just like the Women’s Space is now.
Health Information Sessions on 4th Tuesday of every month
There will be new monthly Health Information Sessions, on the 4th Tuesday of the month. These will be from 12 noon – 2.30 and open to all people living with HIV. There is no need to book. These sessions will usually be led by George House Trust staff and each month there will be a different topic. There will be a crèche and some food.
When there are five Tuesdays in the month there will be no space or other service on the 5th Tuesday.
Monthly HIV Workshops - dates and times vary
In addition to the Tuesday services we will also be offering a monthly HIV workshop. There will not be a regular date because our training room is sometimes booked. The Monthly HIV Workshops will last about 3.5 hours. There will not be a crèche but we can help with child care costs if you ask in advance.
The next workshop will be about Disclosure, telling other people about having HIV, on Friday 27th May. We have not set the exact time yet.
You will need to book a place at these workshops in advance - please contact Nathan Perry the George House Trust Health Trainer for more details
Computers and Phone in reception
If you want to use the computers in our reception, please ring and book if you have credit on your phone. If you have not booked and just arrive you will be able to use the computer if one is free.
No appointment?
We want to strongly encourage people to always make appointments. The services team will only be able to see people without appointments if it is most urgent.
Check the website diary for more details and dates
The website diary has the dates and details of all services until the end of May, and for some services for after this. We will add all the dates and details for the rest of the year to the diary before the end of April. See our services diary
Tell us what you think
Lynda, our director of services is happy to receive feedback on all aspects of our work and services, please email her It is really important that we have your support and backing - we want to provide the services that you want and need.
Permalink
Be A HIV Activist
posted: 08/04/2011
A crowd has far more affect than a single voice shouting for change. HIV Activists is a way to join with others to make your voice for better HIV support heard.
With so many cuts and changes affecting so many people with HIV now and over the next few years we need to work with others to make a difference.
HIV Activists Network is run by NAT and it works together with Positively UK, the Stigma Index and of course the Activists themselves.
They use a handy set of online tools to make things simple and easy to join in and help.
What’s next?
They have a list of things they are campaigning about now and you can join in as many or as few as you wish
Here's some of them
- email your MP about the Welfare Reform Bill
- write to your local NHS about HIV prevention and testing
- Sign NAT’s Agenda for Action
- Talk to your local faith leaders
- Talk to your local gay businesses
- Contacting local schools
- emailing your local councillor about cuts to HIV Social Care
- Contact to your Trade Union
If you are interesting in joining the 'HIV Activists Network' or simply want to find out more, you can
Permalink
International HIV Sidelines Gay Men
posted: 07/03/2011
Every two years the world’s biggest HIV conference faces criticism for sidelining the needs of gay men, sex workers, transgender people, and injecting drug users. The International AIDS Society conference visited Vienna in 2010, around 25,000 people attended, but it still grossly under-represented four groups most at risk for HIV infection.
A detailed study by the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), confirms the long-held suspicions and criticism of this neglect, and calls for change.
The International AIDS Society may be part of the problem, but it can solve it.
Shame of stigma and discrimination
Stigma and discrimination against marginalised and unpopular groups affected by HIV is unprofessional and brings shame on the International AIDS Society.
The 2010 conference programme seriously neglected key needs. There is little exclusive time and exposure given to the four groups, and the four groups are often ignored even in general studies.
- Only 6.6% of the abstracts of studies were only concerned with gay and bi men / MSM, 5.7% targeted only people who use drugs, 3.5% looked only at sex workers, and 0.6% solely considered transgender people.
- Only 3.8% of ordinary conference sessions exclusively focused on gay and bi men / MSM, 5.1% on IDU people, 2.5% on sex workers and 0% on transgender people.
- Just 3.7% of all workshops exclusively focused on gay and bi men / MSM, 6.4% on people who use drugs, and 0% on sex workers and 0% on transgender people.
- Out of over 4,500 abstracts sent in for selection and publicity, only 558 even mentioned MSM, only 442 mentioned IDU, just 338 mentioned sex workers, and a bare 134 mentioned transgender people.
- Only 2.6% of all sessions in the entire conference programme exclusively focused on MSM, 4.5% exclusively focused on IDU, 3.0% on sex workers and 1.1% on transgender people.
The percentage of all sessions at the conference exclusively focused on the four marginalised groups was 2.6% for MSM, 1.1% for transgender people, 3% for sex workers and 4.5% for people who use drugs.
Research shows these four populations are at higher risk for HIV than the general population in nearly every country where reliable data exist.
Compare tiny conference gestures with actual needs
- MSM represent more than a quarter of HIV infections in Latin America and the Caribbean
- People who inject drugs are more than half of HIV infections in Eastern Europe
- Up to half of all sex workers across Sub-Saharan Africa have HIV
- Transgender people in El Salvador, Indonesia and India have HIV rates as high as 25%, 35%, and 42% respectively.
"Abysmal representation reinforces discrimination and invisibility"
“While the International AIDS Society turns a blind eye, HIV rates among these populations continue to climb around the world,” said Dr. George Ayala, Executive Officer of the MSMGF.
“The IAC is the world’s most important opportunity for international exchange and collaboration on HIV and AIDS. Such abysmal representation of most-at-risk groups only serves to reinforce the invisibility, discrimination and disregard that drive the epidemic among these communities.”
“Ostensibly, the IAC offers chances for local healthcare providers to learn ways to improve their services, provides channels for advocates to engage in dialogue with powerful decision-makers, and creates opportunities for community members to shape global funding and research agendas,” said Dr. Mohan Sundararaj, Policy Associate at the MSMGF. “This really is a phenomenal platform, but how useful can it be when those who need it most are locked out?”
Calls for change
The report recommends steps to make the Conference programme fairer, based on the numbers of people affected . These include involving the communities affected in the conference planning.
“The International AIDS Conference has unparalleled potential to impact the global AIDS epidemic,” said Dr. Ayala. “It is incumbent upon the organizers to ensure that the IAC becomes a vehicle for change, shifting the global landscape so that funding, research and programs are directed to those who need them most. Right now it’s part of the problem.”
Source The Global Forum on MSM & HIV
Read the full report Coverage of Four Key Populations at the 2010 International AIDS Conference: Implications for Leadership and Accountability in the Global AIDS Response February 2011
The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) is an expanding network of AIDS organizations, MSM networks, and advocates committed to ensuring robust coverage of and equitable access to effective HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support services tailored to the needs of gay men and other MSM. Guided by a Steering Committee of 20 members from 18 countries situated mainly in the Global South, and with administrative and fiscal support from AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), the MSMGF works to promote MSM health and human rights worldwide through advocacy, information exchange, knowledge production, networking, and capacity building.
Permalink
HIV Teenagers to Adults
posted: 21/02/2011
Older teenagers with HIV are our HIV pioneers because they are the first generation of young people growing up with HIV. Being the first at anything is often exciting, but with HIV it can be much less fun and more of a struggle.
Making the change better
The Children and Young People HIV Network are working to make it easier to move from being a teenager with HIV to being an adult with HIV.
Young people with HIV have two main challenges
- growing up from a child to adult with HIV (e.g. beginnning sex and relationships with HIV)
- moving from children's HIV clinic and education, into adult HIV services and employment or claiming benefits with HIV.
The Children and Young People’s HIV Network have now finished checking all the expert articles and books about changing from child to adult with HIV in a ‘literature review’.
They looked to learn lessons about improving the change from child to adult, including learning from experience with other conditions like diabetes and epilespy.
The HIV child to adult change literature review is here
The review
- has statistics about young people with HIV in the UK
- finds existing policies and guidelines for the child to adult change
- looks for useful lessons from other longterm conditions, like diabetes
- considers the needs of carers and family
- considers rural areas with very low numbers of young people with HIV.
Professionals tell us
Last week we pointed out the useful article where HIV health workers describe helping teenagers to make the change from child to adult with HIV, which is in the 200th issue of HIVTreatment Update.
Teens talking life with HIV
Two young people making these changes talk about their own lives. JD Bailey (20, female) talks about growing up with HIV, and Max, (19, male) talks about telling others about HIV
‘Transition of care from a paediatric to adult setting is not specific to HIV … However there are important differences … with HIV which may make this process more difficult’ Lyall, 2007.
Permalink