GMFA have announced that due to financial circumstances their website and FS magazine will not longer be funded – for the present.

For two decades the GMFA have been working at the forefront of  HIV and sexual health prevention aimed at gay men in London and other major cities throughout the UK.

The charity sites the slashing of HIV and sexual health prevention budgets, the large-scale reorganisation of the NHS and a move from a national sexual health prevention strategy to a local focus, as the reason for the crisis.

However, Mathew Hodson, head of GMFA programmes is determined to turn the situation around, saying: “Whilst this position is obviously a daunting one to find ourselves in, I also believe that it may prove to be a great opportunity for us, an opportunity to re-think what we do and how we do it.”

The funding crisis comes against a backdrop of increased rates of HIV transmission in the gay community. A situation largely thought – not to be a result of a lack of information about HIV transmission – but due to recreational alcohol and drug use.  MSM (men seeking men) using social media cruising sites such as Gaydar and  Grindr are  another likely contributing factor in increased HIV transmissions.

Hodson goes on to say: “ The environment in which we operate has changed enormously and continues to evolve. HIV is increasingly a manageable condition. Anyone who seeks out this information will find it, so it’s no surprise that the fear – which once prevented many people from taking sexual risks – is diminished. Despite these advances, people who live with HIV continue to suffer both physical and emotional disadvantages over the course of their lives as a result of their infection.”

If you would like to attend a GMFA community forum to discuss new ideas, or would like to support GMFA email: at gmfa@gmfa.org.uk or tweet them via @GMFA_UK or drop them a line via www.facebook.com/GMFA.UK.

ACET, Jersey’s only charity dedicated to HIV social care,  prevention and education faces a service delivery crisis after the islands government announce budget cuts.

HIV prevention and social care services will disappear, as the charity is forced to make staff redundant, putting a question mark over the charities ability to survive in the long-term, if vital funds are not found.

The decision to cut funds to ACET ignores the public heath risk of  blood born viruses, says the charity.

Bruce Willing, Chairman of ACET told the BBC: “If ACET is to continue to offer care and support to those living with the illness, as well as to educate islanders, particularly young people, about the potential risks and behaviours that may increase their chances of contracting blood related illnesses, we have to find a source of new funding urgently.

“This is a sad time for our staff and also one of considerable concern for our clients who are naturally seeking reassurance about what emotional and practical support will be available to them from May onwards.

The minister for treasury and resources had provided ACET with a £38k grant from the Drug Confiscation Fund, but the charity say it is not enough.

Jersey is a parliamentary democracy that is a dependency of the British Crown. It is a British island, but is not part of the United Kingdom and is not a colony.

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A NEW survey launched by NAT (National AIDS Trust) has found that large numbers of the British public are confused about HIV transmission and that misconceptions about the HIV still exist.

But encouragingly 70% understand that someone becoming infected with HIV in the UK is unlikely to die within three years and 74% say that people with HIV deserve the same level of support and respect as people with cancer.

’HIV: Public Knowledge and Attitudes 2010’, is number four in a series of surveys undertaken by NAT and conducted by Ipsos MORI.

The survey looks at public attitudes to HIV, assesses support for people living with HIV, levels of stigma and discriminations and general understanding of the virus and the transmission routes.

Deborah Jack, CEO of NAT, said: “As the number of people with HIV in the UK approaches 100,000, it is crucial for everyone to understand the facts around how HIV is passed on so they can protect themselves and others.

“Whilst HIV disproportionately affects gay men and Africans, the number of people with HIV who are not in these groups is steadily rising, and unfortunately there does still remain a serious amount of confusion around HIV transmission.  Many people are unaware of the basics such as using a condom to protect themselves, whilst myths such as transmission from kissing and spitting are still perpetuated.

“It is certainly positive to see the majority of the public have supportive attitudes towards people with HIV, but there are still huge gaps in awareness of what it means to live with HIV in the UK today.

“For example, the fact that an HIV positive mother can have a healthy baby and being HIV positive can still mean a near normal lifespan.

“Whilst HIV treatment has advanced rapidly in the last ten years, knowledge and attitudes have sadly not kept pace – resulting in stigma and discrimination.  Successfully addressing HIV stigma is vital, not just so people living with HIV are treated fairly, but also so everyone feels confident to test for HIV and talk about HIV related risk.0

“The survey indicates there is a link between knowledge and attitude.  Those who understand the facts about HIV transmission are more likely to have a supportive attitude than those who are confused or hold false beliefs.  Stigma and discrimination is often borne out of fear of infection – based on misconception around transmission- they can also arise from broader perceptions and judgements about people who have HIV.”

• One in five adults do not realise HIV is transmitted through sex without a condom between a man and a woman
• Only three in ten adults (30%) can correctly identify, from a list of possible routes, all of the ways HIV is and is not transmitted
• An increasing proportion of adults incorrectly believe HIV can be transmitted by impossible routes such as kissing and spitting
• Nearly a fifth of adults (19%) believe if a family member was HIV positive it would damage their relationship with them
• More than two thirds of British adults (68%) agree more needs to be done to tackle prejudice against people living with HIV in the UK

You can  find out more about the findings of ‘HIV: Public Knowledge and Attitudes 2010’ or to download the report click here

A REPORT  published in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis says 13,000 people who are living with HIV in the UK may also have Hepatitis C but not realise it.

This represents nearly 70% of the total estimate of people with HIV and Hep C in the UK.

The report is based on a study by the UK Collaborative HIV Cohort, which indicates that gay men still remain a high risk group, second only to injecting drug users.

The study looked at 31,765 patients at ten specialist HIV clinics between 1996 and 2007. 36% had never been tested for Hep C, despite guidelines from BHIVA (British HIV Association) recommending screening for all HIV-positive patients.

Matthew Hodson, Head of Programmes at GMFA, said: “It’s a major concern that HIV-positive men aren’t being screened regularly for Hepatitis C. The virus often shows no symptoms and most people who get infected will not be able to get rid of it without treatment. We urge men with HIV to ask about Hepatitis C at their clinics and ensure they get tested. By getting diagnosed early, you can start treatment and stand the best chance of overcoming the virus.”

Seven per cent of HIV-positive gay men are known to have Hep C.

A blogger on Outspoken on Health GMFA’s blog site said: “I acquired HIV in 2001 and I am currently undergoing treatment for Hepatitis C for the SECOND time!” writes the anonymous blogger. “I have stopped having unprotected sex because I simply can’t stand the trauma of all the STIs and health issues that go with it any more… people have no idea how [unprotected sex] can affect your mental health. And Hepatitis C is the new HIV. It’s out there and the treatment is hard going.”

To read the full article, visit: http://www.onmedica.com/NewsArticle.aspx?id=73925b3a-b3ea-452e-9a37-4064ea870e20

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Figures just out from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reveal the number diagnoses of HIV transmission occurring in the UK remain high.

Overall diagnoses have declined for the fourth year running – going down to 6,630 in 2009 from 7,982 in 2005 – however the fall is due to fewer people being diagnosed here in the UK that were infected overseas.  The 3,730 diagnoses of transmissions which occurred in the UK remain as high as previous years.

Deborah Jack, CEO of the National AIDS Trust, NAT said: “The latest HIV figures underline the need for us to do more in both HIV prevention and HIV testing.  As the Government prepares its Public Health White Paper, NAT is calling for commitment to reduce the continuing stubbornly high numbers of people getting HIV in the UK.  Prevention is an immensely cost-effective activity: one transmission can cost the NHS upwards of £360,000 over a person’s lifetime.”

The report reveals that 1,000 heterosexuals were diagnosed with HIV and infected in the UK.  There were also 2,760 diagnoses amongst gay and bisexual men: one in six men diagnosed appear to have been infected a few months prior to their test, suggesting high rates of ongoing HIV transmission in the gay community.

Another worrying trend is that about half are being diagnosed late -after the point they should have started HIV treatment – putting their own health at risk and increasing the chance of transmitting the virus to sexual partners.

“Another crucial step is for sexual health clinics to work on increasing the uptake of HIV tests amongst those who attend their services.  The current uptake rate at 77 per cent is still too low.  But late diagnosis is a wider challenge to society – many people with HIV attend other NHS services repeatedly for years without being offered an HIV test and this neglect has to end.  We need HIV testing to be normalised within our health system and people to be informed about the value of having an HIV test,” Jack added.

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England is being left behind by Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in agreeing national strategy for HIV and sexual health according to the National Aids Trust NAT.

This World AIDS Day – 1 December – NAT are campaigning the Prime Minister to fulfil the UK’s UN commitment and put in place a strategy on HIV to replace the current one that expires at the end of 2010.

Deborah Jack,  NAT, CEO said: “Without strategic, political leadership on HIV, the issue will become sidelined and silenced by stigma.  Or at best, HIV will be only addressed as a health issue – disregarding the social context which must also be tackled if we are to respond effectively to the epidemic.

“A new national strategy is needed which takes account of the significant changes in the last decade in HIV testing and treatment, in health and social care provision, in legal rights, and in the epidemic itself.  New HIV diagnoses are now three times what they were ten years ago and we have yet to see evidence of a decline in rates of new infections in the UK.”

NAT is asking people to sign their e-petition calling for a national strategy to combat HIV.

But remember a puppy is for life, not just for Christmas!

Sign NAT’s e-petition:

You can sign our e-petition calling for a national strategy on HIV here.

Be an HIV activist:

NAT will  soon be launching a range of actions which individuals can take to help NAT transform the UK’s response to HIV.  If you are interested in signing up to be a HIV Activist and support NAT’s campaigns throughout the year, just email: HIVactivist@nat.org.uk

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The number of HIV infections and Aids related deaths have decreased over the last decade according to a new report by UNAIDS.

The report showed that an estimated 2.6 million people became newly-infected with HIV in 2009, 20 per cent down from the 3.1-million people infected in 1999.

The report highlights the importance of investment in HIV prevention programming, and that it is producing significant results in many of the highest burden countries.

Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS said: “We have halted and begun to reverse the epidemic. Fewer people are becoming infected with HIV and fewer people are dying from AIDS.”

However, the organisation warned that even though the gains are real this is a very fragile situation. Future progress will depend heavily on the joint efforts of everyone involved in the HIV response.

There are currently 10 million people in need of HIV treatment and the Global Fund to fight Aids, TB and Malaria has failed to raise the $8.1 billion it needed to sustain its programmes for the next three years.

There are an estimated 33.3million people infected with HIV. 25 million people have died from AIDS related  illness since 1981.

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Chris Grayling, Work and Pensions Minister

Work Capability Assessment WCA is not operating as well as it should and is letting down people that are genuinely ill according to an independent review commissioned by the Coalition Government.

The report, by Professor Malcolm Harrington was undertaken because the Department of work and Pensions DWP are flooded with appeals to assessments made by the Atos Healthcare, the private company that manage WCA: 40 per cent of the decisions are overturned in appeal

Chris Grayling, the Work and Pensions Minister, accepted the report’s conclusions and said: “the government would implement them in full.”

However, the National Aids Trust NAT said that they were concerned that the DWP still plan to go ahead and migrate 1.5 million incapacity benefit recipients on to ESA from February 2011: without fully considering Professor Harrington’s findings or how to implement them.

Deborah Jack, CEO of NAT, said: “NAT supports the recommendations of the independent review and we were extremely pleased to see some of our concerns included in the final report.

“Our research has found that the barriers to work experienced by people living with HIV, such as:  fluctuating symptoms, side-effects of treatment, depression, pain and fatigue are not fully taken into account by the WCA.

“As Professor Harrington notes, this is the first of five independent reviews of the WCA, and there is clearly a long way to go in order to address all of the issues that NAT and other disability organisations have raised around the WCA.”

The 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.

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Government plans to cut legal aid funding by 350 million will exclude the most vulnerable and obstruct the help offered by organisations like Citizens Advice Bureaux, say leading charities.

Justice Secretary, Ken Clarke’s proposals to cut access to legal aid for individuals pursuing employment cases, including cases of workplace discrimination and unfair dismissal has angered many charities.

Deborah Jack, CEO, of the National AIDS Trust NAT said: “The announcement comes just six weeks after the Equality Act came into effect, which introduced new legal protections against discrimination in employment for people with disabilities, including HIV.

“This appears to be a case of ‘what the Government giveth, the Government taketh away’, providing new rights and protections through legislation and then removing the means of asserting these rights.”

The changes would also affect people trying to access legal help in some immigration cases and those dealing with complex debt, benefit and housing issues.

Gillian Guy, Citizens Advice CEO said: “ Legal aid is not a deadweight on the state: to put the legal aid budget in perspective it’s only two weeks worth of public funding to the NHS.

For or every pound spent of the legal aid budget up to £10 pound is saved in other public services including the NHS.

Meanwhile, there is growing concern that Labour is proving to be inaffective in opposition as the Coalition Government forces through cuts to reduce the deficit, affecting the poorest in society most.

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The Coalition Government has caved into pressure from HIV organisations to protect the social care needs of people living with HIV in its Spending Review of local authority grants, it was announced today.

Overall Aids support within the local authority grant will increase in England to £36.2 million for 2014-15 , up 10.7 million compared to this year. However, the ring-fence that used to protect this cash has not reinstated and the money could be at risk from cash strapped councils with greater powers.

The decision comes after months of campaigning led by National AIDS Trust (NAT) and HIV organisations across the country: who wrote hundreds of letters highlighting the importance of retaining the funding as an identifiable amount within local authority budgets.

Deborah Jack, CEO of NAT, said: “NAT is extremely pleased to see a commitment from the Government to increase funding for HIV social care following our recent campaign.

“This commitment shows an acknowledgment of the importance of funding these services, and recognition that the rising numbers and ageing population of people living with HIV will result in both continuing and increasing social care needs within this group.”

The Coalition’s Comprehensive Spending Review in October saw local authorities loose on average 7.25 per cent of their budgets.  But in a controversial trade-off received new financial freedoms and flexibility.

“We remain concerned that with the removal of the ring-fence around this funding and the increased emphasis on local flexibility, there is a risk that HIV social care funds could be spent elsewhere.

“NAT encourages all local authorities to ensure the needs of people living with HIV in every area are met, and this means using the funding committed to HIV social care to provide the services necessary.” added NAT’s Jack.

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