HIV support services are those services that meet HIV-relevant physical, mental and emotional health needs that are apart from, but complementary to, clinical care.
Without specialist support services, it is certain that some people will not receive the support they need to live well with HIV.
Although national specificities limit the comparability of data across the UK, it is clear that disinvestment in HIV support services is a genuine trend in England and (to a lesser extent) Wales, while in Scotland and Northern Ireland expenditure remained steady over the years considered.
This summary outlines recommendations for each of the UK’s four nations to ensure that HIV support services meet the needs of the people living with HIV who access them.