Views

Jacqui Stevenson, Senior Policy, Research and Influencing Manager, reflects on prioritising people's quality of life in HIV policy.

Digital transformation holds real potential for strengthening the UK’s HIV response but only if the right safeguards, investment, and co-production with communities are put in place.

In this important month for the community, in a year that has seen increasing challenges and rollback of LGBT+ rights in the UK and around the world, we asked some colleagues, supporters and allies what Pride means to them in 2025. 

One argument you see amongst those critical or worried about the introduction of PrEP is that it will result in big increases in STIs as gay and bisexual men (and indeed others at risk of HIV) throw away their condoms. But does the evidence support such fears? And as importantly, what do those fears tell us about our views of HIV and gay sexual health?

February has been LGBT History Month, and this year’s theme, ‘PSHE, Law and Citizenship’, reflects historical achievements (2017 is the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales) but also the continuing struggle for equality.

Following the news that Glasgow will open the first safe injecting rooms in the UK, Daniel Vincent asks if we’re doing enough in England and Wales to meet the health needs of people who inject drugs.

“It is time for us to step up and acknowledge that stigma and discrimination still act as the greatest barrier to us defeating this disease once and for all.”

In March 2015, Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, announced the first national diabetes prevention programme. Reflecting on the potential for the NHS to reduce the future costs of diabetes care by supporting people to lose weight, exercise and eat better, he said that "if these results were from a pill we'd doubtless be popping it

Some readers will recall the campaign NAT led at the end of 2014 to prevent national HIV prevention spending being cut by 50%. We were successful – and last year in 2015/16 the overall amount spent by central government remained more or less stable at £2.4 million. But what now are the plans for the current year, 2016/17? NAT wrote to Public Health England (PHE) to find out. One thing is clear… not enough is being done in England to prevent HIV transmissions.

For many in HIV advocacy addressing stigma is the Holy Grail.

Many, if not all, of the factors that drive the HIV epidemic are embroiled with stigma. The impact it has on the lives of people living with HIV is well documented. In a recent survey of over half of people living with HIV reported feelings of shame, guilt, low self-esteem and self-blame; one in five had experienced verbal harassment or threats.1

Stigma should be our top priority, yet we have not identified concrete strategies for reducing it. So why do we find stigma so difficult to tackle?

NAT responds to the Government announcement of a NICE Evidence review on PrEP

Jane Ellison MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, announced on Tuesday 7 June in the House of Commons a NICE Evidence Review to look into the case for PrEP, and in particular its cost-effectiveness. The review should report in advance of the previously announced £2m pilot towards the end of the year, and will apparently feed in to that pilot.

In 2014 3,346 people across England and Wales died because they had a drug overdose. This is the highest number since records began and in England this represents a 17% rise from the previous year, a dramatic deterioration of the situation for people who use drugs in this country.