Standards for psychological support for adults living with HIV

British Psychological Society (BPS), British HIV Association (BHIVA) and Medical Foundation for AIDS & Sexual Health (MedFASH)

Published: 17 November 2011

Despite significant medical advances in HIV treatment, people living with HIV experience higher rates of psychological difficulties than the general population. Psychological support improves both mental and physical health and reduces the risk of HIV transmission. Yet the availability and quality of psychological support for people living with HIV is currently variable.

These first ever Standards for psychological support for adults living with HIV describe the support that all adults living with HIV should receive, from a wide range of professional groups, peers and informal providers, to enhance their mental health and their cognitive, emotional and behavioural wellbeing. They focus on:

• the promotion of mental health and wellbeing
• the early detection of psychological difficulties and
• the provision of appropriate interventions for those who need them.

A valuable tool for both providers and commissioners, they support the development and maintenance of high quality, cost-effective services and care pathways for adults living with HIV.

The Standards are published by MedFASH in partnership with the BPS and BHIVA, and are endorsed by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), the National AIDS Trust (NAT), the National HIV Nurses Association (NHIVNA), the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Faculty of Liaison Psychiatry of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) and the Society of Sexual Health Advisers (SSHA).

An educational grant from Abbott has supported the development of this publication. Abbott has had no editorial input or involvement in its production. Additional contributions were received from BHIVA, the FacHIV&SH (BPS) and MedFASH.

For more information about the standards project, please see our Activities page.

HIV in Primary Care - 2011 edition now available

Revised and updated for 2011, our popular booklet “HIV in Primary Care: an essential guide for GPs, practice nurses and other members of the primary healthcare team” by Dr Sara Madge, Dr Philippa Matthews, Dr Surinder Singh and Dr Nick Theobald is now available.

Written by practising GPs and HIV specialists with an interest in GP education, HIV in Primary Care is instructive, practical and easy to use with a comprehensive index and full colour illustrations.

This booklet provides essential information on:

• The clinical diagnosis of HIV in primary care, with photographs.
• How to offer an HIV test and give results.
• Primary healthcare for people with HIV, including reproductive health and immunisation.
• How to complement specialist care.
• Practice policies and systems for optimal patient care and protection of staff.

“The BMA welcomes this guidance as an important tool in helping to raise awareness and equip primary care professionals to deal with the diagnosis and treatment of HIV.”
Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council, BMA, 2011

For more information see our press release about the new booklet.

You can download the new edition of HIV in Primary Care free from this site as a pdf (file size 3Mb).

Hard copies are available at £10 per copy singly, but discounts apply to bulk orders. For details see ordering information or you can email us or call us on 020 7383 6345.

Response to the Public Health White Paper ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’

A joint submission in response to the consultation on the Public Health White Paper and its supplementary consultations from MedFASH and other leading sexual health organisations. Our response addresses issues raised in the White Paper itself and in the consultations on the proposed Public Health Outcomes Framework and on funding and commissioning routes for public health.