President’s Blog – Professor Matt Phillips – February 2025
06 February 2025
(Last updated: 7 Feb 2025 09:21)
Dear Colleagues,
2025 has begun full steam ahead, and I’m pleased to share a number of key updates with you.
In January, we held an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) which invited our membership to share their thoughts on systemic issues linked to the deterioration of sexual health outcomes in the UK – thank you to all who were able to attend this important session. We are all acutely aware of recent erosions in the principle of timely face-to-face interactions with sexual health experts, and the damaging impacts this has on outcomes, including exacerbating existing health inequalities. It’s incredibly important to me that our actions and priorities as an organisation are informed by our members, and this EGM provided an opportunity to put two resolutions up for consideration. As a result, BASHH received a clear mandate to prioritise work that can address the systemic issues affecting core principles of good care, and which supports effective workforce and service planning to meet future population needs. We’ll be sharing more information on next steps for this work, including plans to set up a new Special Interest Group to strategically address fragmentation in service design and commissioning, in the coming weeks.
In other news, as many of you will have seen, we were deeply concerned to see the US Government’s announcement to halt funding for the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR has been an important global initiative since 2003, and has seen over $110 billion invested in supporting the global HIV/AIDS response across 54 countries. The halting of funding raises significant concerns regarding the future of this response and its associated humanitarian impact. While subsequent reports indicated that the temporary freeze on US funding for HIV medicines has been lifted, the situation remains unclear with regards to funding for HIV testing, prevention and other critical services. BASHH is working with international organisations and colleagues in the aftermath of the announcement, including supporting STOPAIDS in a jointly signed letter to the Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This letter calls on the PM to raise concerns about the impact of funding cuts to PEPFAR at the highest possible level within the US administration, identify ways to advance UK funds to fill the gap, and asks for an urgent ministerial statement on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)’s analysis on the impact of the insecurity of PEPFAR funding on UK aid programmes and the communities they support. We are continuing to keep a close eye on the evolving situation and will keep you updated.
Last week, BASHH CEO Kat Smithson attended the London Assembly Health Committee meeting on HIV Prevention Efforts in London. The meeting heard perspectives from the NHS, international experts and the third sector as part of its investigation into the spread of HIV in London. Kat was part of the panel discussing HIV health disparities amongst particular demographics in London. Professor Kevin Fenton, Public Health Director for London, was a fellow panellist and outlined to the Committee the importance of strengthening and scaling [up]” HIV testing and treatment if we are to meet the goal of ending new transmission by the end of the decade. A recording of the Committee meeting is available to watch here for those interested.
Earlier this week, NHS England announced the opening of 12 new mpox vaccination sites, expanding access for those eligible to get protected beyond the existing locations of London, Manchester and Brighton. This is a very positive development, bringing us a step closer to meeting the JCVI’s recommendations more than a year ago for a routine vaccination programme. The update from NHSE now means that each region across England will offer mpox vaccinations. I’d like to extend my thanks and recognition to GUM professionals across the country your continued support in this response.
Looking ahead to the next few weeks, I encourage you to engage with the doxyPEP guidelines which are open for consultation until 11th March. These guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for the use of doxyPEP for the prevention of syphilis, and we welcome member feedback on these which you can submit here.
We are also looking forward to shortly announcing further details about a BASHH Bitesize webinar in March, that will be focusing on upcoming changes to the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010. Following a Department of Health and Social Care consultation in 2023, a number of changes on reporting requirements are due to come into effect on 6th April, pending legislative approval. These changes include the addition of congenital syphilis, neonatal herpes and disseminated gonococcal infection to Schedule 1 of the reporting requirements, with further details available here. We will be joined at the webinar by colleagues from UKHSA who will be on hand to talk through the anticipated changes, with the session providing an opportunity for questions. A supporting briefing paper for members will also be circulated following the webinar session.
To end on a high note, I’m delighted to share the details for BASHH’s 2025 Annual Conference. Last year we welcomed around 500 delegates, and I look forward to hopefully seeing that same momentum carry into this year’s event in Edinburgh. Taking place from 9th – 11th June, the programme is shaping up to be hugely exciting. Please click here for full details, and if you register before 2nd May you can take advantage of early-bird rates!
Finally, I’d also like to encourage you to consider submitting your work as an abstract for the Conference. We are inviting authors to submit work for consideration for oral presentation, moderated presented poster or a standard electronic poster across a range of sexual health and HIV topics. This is a brilliant opportunity to profile your work and contribute to important discussions shaping the future of sexual health and HIV research.
Yours,
Matt
Professor Matt Phillips
BASHH President