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9th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]24 – 26 April 2003, University of Manchester
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[AUTHOR(S):] L Power, D Pinson, J Kinniburgh and M Kirk
Terrence Higgins Trust, London, UK
BHIVA Conf 2003 Apr 24-26;9:O27
BACKGROUND: Clinicians across England report a lack of attention to sexual health and HIV at primary care trust (PCT) level, and delayed response to the National Strategy due to National Health Service (NHS) reorganisation.
METHODS: The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), with BHIVA and PACT, undertook short postal surveys of English PCTs and BHIVA members in August 2002. In all, 66 PCTs and 80 clinicians returned questionnaires. Returns were collated and presented to Parliament in early 2003.
RESULTS: The returns showed highly variable levels of response to the National Strategy and a growing gap between resources and need. 54% of PCTs had no agreed process yet for implementing the Strategy; 18% had no sexual health lead or multi-agency planning team. Regions varied widely in response; for example, 100% of London PCTs had sexual health leads but only 50% of Eastern Regions had. 59% of clinicians said their ability to provide services had worsened while 3% felt it had been improved by the Strategy and NHS changes. 69% expected overspends on their drugs budget while 27% did not know who their PCT lead was. West Midlands clinicians reported least problems and those in Trent and the South-West the most. London clinicians provided the most critical additional comment.
CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous introduction of the National Strategy alongside NHS reorganisation has had a damaging effect upon coordination and prioritisation of HIV services and has failed, so far, to improve national access or tackle the rising rates of sexual ill-health and HIV.
PRESENTING AUTHOR: L Power
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Copyright © 2003 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD