HIV Scotland
promoting positive change
promoting positive change
HIV Scotland aims to make policy and research work in practice through our work in learning, networks, advocacy and communication. We also represent the voluntary sector and aim to foster links between national and regional bodies. How we address HIV in Scotland is driven by a number of documents which can be described as ‘policy’ but also as ‘strategy’ or ‘guidance’. HIV Scotland has fundamentally influenced many of the policies, strategies and guidelines currently in place in Scotland.
HIV Scotland has also had some notable acheivements through consulting and advising on policy, some of which are listed below.
| Achievement | Policy driver |
|---|---|
| The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved us of Darunavir once daily in combination with ritonovir as part of an effective HIV treatment. (Read decision as PDF) |
British HIV Association guidelines for the treatment of HIV (2008). |
| The dramatic reduction in the late 1980s of HIV infection among injecting drug users | Harm reduction policies of early needle exchanges, substitute prescribing and community engagement |
| Doubling of HIV testing in 5 years to 2008 | Opt-out testing policy and community promotion |
| Limiting of infections from mother to child | Ante-natal testing and good care in pregnancy and delivery |
| High quality clinical and community services for HIV prevention, treatment and care | Social and medical research linked closely with strategic and practical interventions |
| Equitable treatment for HIV infection across Scotland with excellence in service audits | Pragmatic approaches to treatment and prescribing, with support from NHS Boards |
| Engagement of civil society and community | Sustained ring-fenced funding for HIV prevention, and cross-sectoral partnerships |
Below we've listed some of our work following up recommendations from the HIV Action Plan.
Greater regional and national collaboration on HIV
Agreement of standards for HIV prevention, care and treatment
Improved local needs assessment and regional planning
Improving attendance and retention in clinical services by people living with HIV
Social marketing for men who have sex with men (MSM)
Better evidence of effective interventions to prevent HIV in MSM and people from areas of high HIV prevalence, particularly African countries
Increased education on HIV for healthcare workers
A resource library which holds key policy, strategy and guidance documents for Scotland and the UK. Because HIV is linked to sexual health, drug problems, and global trends, we have included HIV specific as well as related policy documents.