BASHH welcomes Parliamentary report highlighting need for clear provision of HIV services

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) welcomes the publication of a new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on HIV and AIDS: The HIV Puzzle: piecing together HIV care since the Health and Social Care Act.

The report, which forms the outcome of the APPG’s recent inquiry into fragmentation of HIV services in England, draws upon a wide range of evidence, including submissions from frontline BASHH clinicians.

The cross-party parliamentary group found that HIV services are under threat following changes made under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and that there is a need for the Government to address the unintended fragmentation of sexual health and HIV care.

Commenting on the launch of the report, BASHH President, Dr Elizabeth Carlin said:

In the wake of public health funding cuts and disparate commissioning responsibilities, HIV care continues to face significant challenges. This timely report clearly demonstrates that urgent action must be taken to ensure that HIV care in all its aspects is not neglected.

BASHH welcomes the recommendations set out by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS and, in particular, that where sexual health services are put out to tender, there is a responsibility to ensure that the HIV service is maintained.

As a next step, we call upon stakeholders to work collaboratively to take forward these recommendations and implement them - this will go a long way towards achieving more integrated HIV care and improved outcomes not only for individuals but also for the wider community.