Produced in response to the recommendations of a 2010 National AIDS Trust report on the mental health needs of people with HIV, the Standards are endorsed by eight major professional organisations represented on the working party which guided their development.
The Standards describe the support that all adults living with HIV should expect to 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, the Standards support the development and maintenance of high quality, cost-effective services and care pathways for adults living with HIV.
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.
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.
Revised and updated for 2011, this 120-page, full-colour illustrated booklet provides essential information for GPs and the primary healthcare team on the clinical diagnosis of HIV; how to offer an HIV test and give results; primary healthcare for people with HIV, including reproductive health and immunisation; the side-effects of antiretroviral therapy, potential drug interactions and how to complement specialist care; and practice policies and systems for optimal patient care and protection of staff.
Written by GPs, HIV in primary care is instructive, practical and easy to use with a detailed contents list and comprehensive index. Published May 2011.
You can download the new 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.
Standards
for the management of sexually transmitted
infections (STIs)
In January 2010 we launched Standards for the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to support the
commissioning and provision of high
quality care for STIs across all settings.
2) a leaflet for service users - Your guide to the Standards for the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - outlining what the standards mean for them in :
print version (we recommend printing onto A3 double-sided to be folded to A4)
3) a poster (recommended A3) for display in clinic waiting rooms and other public settings.
A limited number of hard copies of the standards, service user guide and poster are available from BASHH. Please contact them via their website for further details.
Tackling HIV Testing
The Tackling HIV Testing: increasing detection and diagnosis resource pack was released in October 2009. It is a comprehensive teaching pack for HIVGUM/ID clinicians or other ‘HIV champions’ who are engaged in educating non-HIV specialist colleagues about the need to increase testing rates. It includes the popular booklet, HIV for non-HIV specialists.
London
sexual health needs assessment and service
mapping
MedFASH managed the
first sexual health needs assessment
and service mapping for London, in
partnership with the London Health
Observatory (LHO) and Health Protection
Agency (HPA).
The following project
reports were published online by MedFASH
in November 2008. Click on the report
title to download
MedFASH
has developed a booklet to support
healthcare professionals working in
secondary care who are not HIV specialists
to help them improve their skills
and confidence in diagnosing HIV.
Click here
to download a copy of this publication.
To order copies, click here.
Progress
and priorities - working together for high
quality sexual health
The Independent
Advisory Group on Sexual Health and
HIV commissioned MedFASH to undertake
a review of the National Strategy
for Sexual Health and HIV. The review
report highlights the changing context
since the strategy's publication in
2001, outlines progress to date and
identifies drivers and barriers to
the strategy's implementation. It
provides recommendations in five strategic
priority areas for action at local,
regional and national level.
To see
the full report, click here.
To see the executive summary, click
here.
10
High Impact Changes for Genitourinary Medicine
48-hour Access
We were
commissioned by the Department of
Health to organise an expert reference
group, collate feedback, comments
and case studies from this group,
and draft a practical guide for the
Department of Health to refine and
publish (December 2006). The 10
High Impact Changes best practice
guide provides measures that can
be implemented quickly and on a scale
that would enable 48-hour access to
a local GUM service.
Recommended
standards for sexual health services
Commissioned
and endorsed by the Department of
Health. Published March 2005.
A key tool to support
local delivery of commitments in the
public health White Paper and the
National strategy for sexual health
and HIV, these Recommended
standards for sexual health services
cover 10 aspects of service provision,
including guidance on service networks.
Recommendations for detecting and
managing sexually transmitted infections,
contraceptive advice and provision,
pregnancy testing and support, and
abortion service provision are complemented
by others on cross-cutting topics
such as sexual health promotion, empowering
and involving people who use services,
identifying sexual health needs, access
to services and the protection and
use of sexual health information.
Each standard offers an evidence-guided
rationale, key interventions, implications
for service planning, guidance on
practice, and suggested audit indicators.
For providers, commissioners,
performance managers and service users,
the recommended standards
are relevant to all settings providing
NHS-funded sexual health services,
including general practice, hospital
and community-based clinics, pharmacies,
and organisations in the voluntary
and independent sectors.
Endorsed
by the Department of Health, the British
HIV Association and the National Association
of NHS Providers of AIDS Care and
Treatment
A cornerstone
of the National Strategy for Sexual
Health and HIV, the Recommended
standards for NHS HIV services
cover 12 aspects of service provision
for people with HIV and offer guidance
on managed service networks. Each
standard offers an evidence-based
rationale, key interventions, implications
for service planning, guidance on
practice and suggested audit indicators.
Reading lists for supporting evidence,
policy documents and professional
guidelines are appended. The recommended
standards serve as a tool for planning
and auditing service development,
a framework for commissioning and
a resource for partnership between
service users and providers. The House
of Commons Health Select Committee
has recommended their use by strategic
health authorities in the performance
management of trusts.
