a a a Terrence Higgins Trust

Rob Tocknell

Terrence Higgins Trust

a a a Terrence Higgins Trust

Established in 1982 following the death of Terry Higgins

25th anniversary this year.

To support people living with HIV To support people with other aspects of sexual

health To work with initiatives to prevent HIV and STI

transmission To lobby for support for HIV as a cause

a a a Biggest HIV and Sexual

Health charity in Europe

28 Offices in England, Scotland and Wales

Employ around 300 people and have around 500 volunteers

a a a HIV/AIDS

HIV Human Immuno-deficiency Virus

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

a a a Transmission Quantity – HIV needs to be present

Quality – Good quality virus (only blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk)

Route – for the virus to get from the bodily fluid of the HIV+ve person to the bodily fluid of the negative person

Even if exposure happens it is not certain that transmission will take place

a a a What Makes HIV Different

Stigma Stereotypes and Presumptions Impact on Family and Friends Multiple Illnesses Issues for Partners Criminalisation Affects the communities already marginalised

a a a There is no stigma anymore!

a a a Global Epidemiology

40 million people are living with HIV that’s 11,000 new infections every day 25 million people have died of AIDS

since 1981 (population of UK approx 60 million) 2,000 young people are infected every

day There are 15 million AIDS orphans, 12

million in Africa.

http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm

a a a UK statistics

Estimated 70,000 adults are living with HIV 32% were unaware of their infection. 8,000 new diagnoses of HIV a year 16 people in the UK are diagnosed HIV+

every day That’s one every 70 minutes Over 22,951 diagnoses of AIDS of which at

least 17,482 have died

a a a Around 25,000 people in Britain do not know

that they have the virus that’s 32%

Calling on the Department of Health to set a target to reduce the percentage of people whose HIV infection has not been diagnosed from 32% to 25% by 2012.

‘Get it on’ National condom use campaign, encouraging education and use of condoms.

National Campaigns

a a a What we do

Prevention – information, training, outreach work

Support – advice, counselling, groups Clinical Services – testing services for HIV

and STIs Lobbying, fundraising, awareness raising Health Promotion

a a a A Case Study - John

HIV Hepatitis C Alcohol Misuse Depression Suicidal Not Sleeping Housing Issues Discrimination

Needs – support, advice care

Requesting help

Wants – to give up alcohol

a a a What Happened!

GUM referred to GP GP referred to Statutory Drug and Alcohol

agency and Psychiatrist Agency referred to GUM Psychiatrist refused to see because HIV

present All issues must relate to HIV !!!

THT case workers able to link services and assist John in getting his needs met.

a a a What we really do……….

Tom 15

HIV positive since birth

? Should he tell school mates

?Will he ever have a girlfriend

THT work with Tom about how he can disclose his status and the importance of using condoms when he begins to have sex.

a a a What we really do……….

Sara

Sara has two children who are 6 and 8. Everyone at the children’s school has now found out that Sara is HIV positive.

Now no one is allowed to come to Sara’s house to play with her children.

THT works with the school to inform the parents there is no risk of their children getting HIV from Sara’s house

a a a Essex Services

2 Centres

Southend Colchester Case work, Health Promotion,

Counselling, Advice, therapies support groups, advocacy, training, information.

Cover the whole of Essex

a a a Thank you

THT Direct Helpline – 0845 1221 200

www.tht.org.uk