Thursday 12 September 2024

The British HIV Association (BHIVA) welcomes the independent report from Lord Ara Darzi, despite its stark and uncomfortable findings. It reveals and reflects the experience of both those working in the NHS today and those trying to access the healthcare they need.

The experiences of people living with HIV show all too clearly that social care in the UK has deteriorated beyond recognition as a result of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. Inevitably its impact is greatest on the most vulnerable in society, leaving them without the social care, mental health and community support they need.

Advances in HIV treatment mean that our focus has expanded to include preventative medicine, to enable individuals to live longer, healthy lives. More than 50 per cent of people living with HIV are now over 50 and suffer from multiple health conditions. Significant investment in infrastructure is therefore essential to provide both the clinical care and community-based support necessary to enable them to live longer, remain healthy, and enjoy good quality of life.

We look forward to working closely with the new government as it progresses the Ten-Year Plan outlined today. Guided by recommendations made in the Darzi report, we hope that an improved health service of tomorrow will closely reflect the input of both NHS Staff and patients, shifting the focus from hospitals to the community, and from sickness to prevention.

For further information, please contact [email protected] or for media enquiries, please contact Jo Josh at [email protected] or +44 (0)7306 391875.