Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for the Equalities Office and Department of Health and Social Care to lead a cross-government effort to address the remaining areas of HIV-related discrimination.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department continues to collaborate with cross-Government partners, NHS England and the voluntary and community sector to address HIV-related discrimination and reducing stigma. The Department and the UK Health Security Agency are monitoring experiences of stigma among people living with HIV through the Positive Voices survey, which will be available in 2023.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tailor care models to provide (1) psychosocial, and (2) practical, support to help people to prepare to live with HIV in the long-term.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are currently establishing a workforce task and finish group to report to the HIV Action Plan Steering Group. The task and finish group will be comprised of delivery partners, such as the voluntary and community sector and NHS England and will explore how to improve the care provided, including the transition between young and adult HIV care and treatment services and coordinating care in multiple clinical specialties.
NHS England is also reviewing the national service specification for adult HIV services, which sets out the standards of care for providers, including the availability of community, psychological and psychosocial support for patients.
Specialised HIV inpatient and outpatient services have been identified as areas for greater integrated leadership by NHS England and integrated care boards (ICBs). Integrating the commissioning of HIV treatment services with ICBs will allow local systems to simplify and strengthen HIV care pathways with other services through effective local partnerships, including psychosocial support and mental health services, for a more holistic approach to care.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a comprehensive strategy for reducing HIV stigma.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A workforce task and finish group will be established via the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group to consider enhanced training for the health and care workforce to address the stigma associated with HIV and to improve knowledge and understanding of transmission and prevention.
In addition, we provided approximately £4 million for a national HIV prevention programme from 2021 to 2024 delivered by Terrence Higgins Trust, which aims to reduce levels of HIV-related stigma within affected communities. The UK Health Security Agency continues to monitor experiences of stigma in those living with HIV through the Positive Voices survey, which will be available in 2023.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to equip HIV community networks with the resources needed to establish programmes, including peer-to-peer networks, to boost the supportive ecosystem that people living with HIV need to thrive.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are currently exploring models of peer support networks in order to share the effectiveness of voluntary sector-led support networks, including with commissioners and voluntary groups. An HIV Action Plan Community Advisory Group has been established, which includes representatives of the voluntary and community sector, including those living with HIV. The Group will report to the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group to provide advice and expertise.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the next round of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund includes a focus on (1) shared learning, and (2) ensuring successful pilot projects feed in to national services.
Answered by Lord Kamall
In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.
The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the next round of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund focuses on (1) tackling inequalities, and (2) communities who have not seen the same improvement in HIV outcomes.
Answered by Lord Kamall
In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.
The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was allocated to the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund in the financial years (1) 2021–22, and (2) 2022–23.
Answered by Lord Kamall
In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.
The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year.
Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what investment they will make in the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund this financial year.
Answered by Lord Kamall
In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.
The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year.