Supporting Individuals and Families Affected by HIV
From 2003 to 2010 I was the Lead Officer for HIV and managed the Council's Dept. of Health AIDS Support Grant. During my time in Coventry there was a significant increase in the number of people living with HIV in Coventry, mainly people coming to live in Coventry from Sub-Saharan Africa.
To meet the needs of these new communities I worked with the Local Terrence Higgins Trust to commission a specialist advice and support service and obtained agreement from the GUM clinic to offer this advice service from the clinic to all people with a new diagnosis, leading to significantly improved outcomes (financial and health), particularly for people from traditionally hard to reach groups, pregnant women and for families with children. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that this service was particularly effective in reducing mother to child transmission by ensuring advice was available to pregnant women early in their pregnancy.
To support young carers I funded a joint THT/Carers Centre project to support children whose parents were HIV Positive
The success of anti-retroviral medication in supporting people to live active fulfilling lives meant there was a significant reduction in the number of people requiring social care support, expect where people's late diagnosis meant treatment was not successful in reducing symptoms. In such cases I was successful in obtaining fully funded continuing health care funding, in particular where people with AIDS related dementia could not manage the medication that was keeping them alive.
I also lead Coventry's response to requests for support for people with No Recourse to Public Funds.
To meet the needs of these new communities I worked with the Local Terrence Higgins Trust to commission a specialist advice and support service and obtained agreement from the GUM clinic to offer this advice service from the clinic to all people with a new diagnosis, leading to significantly improved outcomes (financial and health), particularly for people from traditionally hard to reach groups, pregnant women and for families with children. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that this service was particularly effective in reducing mother to child transmission by ensuring advice was available to pregnant women early in their pregnancy.
To support young carers I funded a joint THT/Carers Centre project to support children whose parents were HIV Positive
The success of anti-retroviral medication in supporting people to live active fulfilling lives meant there was a significant reduction in the number of people requiring social care support, expect where people's late diagnosis meant treatment was not successful in reducing symptoms. In such cases I was successful in obtaining fully funded continuing health care funding, in particular where people with AIDS related dementia could not manage the medication that was keeping them alive.
I also lead Coventry's response to requests for support for people with No Recourse to Public Funds.
