Healthy Gay Life??

I work in gay men's health promotion and HIV prevention and have done for longer than i dare admit! I have been involved in a variety of aspects of this work and am passionate about all the work i do. Over the last few years i have been specifically developing work with young gay men. Sex education in schools leaves young gay men with more questions than answers about how to protect themselves and lead healthy lifestyles.

The media over the last few years has shifted the focus of HIV away from gay men by using headlines that lead to general public to believe that there is a major heterosexual HIV epidemic happening and all the funding for HIV should be shifted to ensure that heterosexual people are educated about HIV and sexual health. The truth of the matter is that in 1999 diagnoses of HIV among heterosexuals overtook those among gay men; in 2001 diagnoses among heterosexual women overtook those among gay men ; and in 2004 for the first time more heterosexuals than gay men were being seen for HIV treatment and care in the UK.

This increase is largely accounted for by heterosexual Africans who caught HIV in high prevalence countries and have come to the UK as asylum seekers, workers or students. The way this is reported in the media would lead many to believe that your everyday white heterosexual guy or girl are spreading the virus left, right and centre, although education around HIV and sexual health should target everyone there are high prevalence groups that need further information and education.

The figures i have just mentioned kinda makes ya think that gay men are doing alright, this is not the case. In fact the yearly total of diagnoses among gay men has increased by 60%, from 1400 to 2200. Most of this is accounted for by more gay men coming forward for testing and there being fewer undiagnosed, about 25% of gay men who have HIV were undiagnosed in 2004 as opposed to 33% in 1999. There is no evidence that the infection rate among UK gay men is slowing down.

It is with sadness that i found out a few weeks ago that NHS funders have announced a 36% cut to the overall budget for pan London gay men's HIV prevention work.
Overall, NHS commissioners are proposing to reduce their contribution to sexual health services for gay men in London by more than £650,000. This size of cut is likely to have a devastating effect on sexual health services for gay men.

London is the only region in the UK where the evidence suggests that a /reduction/ in new HIV infections is occurring amongst gay men. This is probably due to the quality of the sexual health services here. To cut these services now, runs the real risk of HIV infection rates increasing again, putting many more gay men’s lives at risk.

I am writing to NHS commissioners to question there methods and i suggest that if you are reading this and feel that these cuts have been made with a total lack of consultation there are a couple of things that you can do

1. Write to the NHS commissioners

Commissioners welcome comments during the formal consultation period before 30th November 2007. Comments should be addressed to:

Ray Appleby, London HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion Programme Manager Commissioning - Room 129, Courtfield House, St Charles Hospital, Exmoor Street , London , W10 6DZ, ray.appleby@kc-pct.nhs.uk

2. Attend one of the public meetings to discuss these proposals.

All meetings will take place at the University of London Union , Malet Street , London WC1E 7HY .

Mon 12 Nov 4 pm – 7 pm Condom Service (Room 2C) Tues 13 Nov 6pm – 8 pm Monitoring and Evaluation (Room 2C) Wed 14 Nov 6pm – 8 pm Media for Gay Men (Room 2A) Thurs 15 Nov 6pm – 8 pm Overview of whole programme (Room 2A) Mon 19 Nov 6pm – 8 pm Interpersonal Interventions for Gay Men (Room 2A) Wed 21 Nov 6pm – 8 pm Overview of whole programme (Room 2A)

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead