Date: Friday 25 January 2013

Venue: Royal College of General Practitioners, London
 

Introduction

General practitioners and primary care teams have increasingly important roles to play in the diagnosis, treatment and care of their patients who have HIV, as well as those who are at risk of acquiring the infection. For people with HIV, who are diagnosed in time, and can both access and engage with treatment and care, the long-term outlook is optimistic. In these settings many of the principles of chronic condition management are increasingly relevant for the best care and outcomes for people with HIV.

Yet, in 2012, up to a quarter of people living with HIV in the UK are unaware of their HIV status. By increasing HIV testing and diagnosis we can reduce late presentation and undiagnosed HIV and, in so doing, not only improve the health of people with HIV but also reduce the potential for others to acquire HIV.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the British HIV Association (BHIVA) established a working partnership to hold a one day conference that engaged general practice teams to address the issues that are most relevant for the best care of people with HIV in the UK. The conference was held at the newly refurbished RCGP building in Euston Square on Friday 25 January 2013.

This conference aimed to bring together general practitioners, practice nurses, HIV clinicians and other professionals working in primary and secondary care. Current best practice and examples of quality of care initiatives were shared and recent advances, together with likely future developments in diagnosis treatment and prevention of HIV, were explored.

The programme was delivered by partnerships of general practitioners and HIV clinicians all of whom have significant experience in the treatment and care of people with HIV. Many of the organising team are involved with the RCGP Sex, Drugs and HIV Working Group and the BHIVA Primary Care Working Group. The programme consisted of lectures reviewing the evidence for recommendations, and was illustrated by practical clinical examples. There were a number of expert panel discussions together with smaller seminars, giving opportunities for delegates to pose questions and discuss a wide range of HIV related issues.

Presentations

Click here to download the presentations.
 

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Medical staff in career grade posts who are enrolled with one of the Royal Medical Colleges for Continuing Professional Development will be entitled to receive CPD credits at the rate of one per conference hour. Please be advised that the attendance list for the conference will be kept on file for reference by the appropriate Royal Colleges.