Learning development

Learning about HIV is key to preventing its spread, helps to reduce stigma, and equips professionals to do their job better.

Our knowledge of HIV has raced ahead of where it was in 1984 when the virus was first isolated. Scotland’s role in research, policy development and practice has been significant.

The first step in HIV learning is to listen to positive people whether as a patient, client or service user. Tackling HIV is a team effort. Even if an individual may not be an ‘expert patient’, they need to be involved if our efforts are to prove successful.

This section is for specialist and non-specialist organisations and workers in health, local authority and voluntary agencies. You are more likely now to come across someone with HIV in the course of your work, as well as members of those communities most affected.

You need to feel that you have adequate awareness and skills, without having to be the expert. Some concerns might be:

• What if I make mistakes? This is why learning more is important, but it is equally important that you know who to ask if you need answers to questions in your work.
• Is it essential that I know about HIV? HIV has changed a lot from the 80s and 90s, and highly diverse groups of people are affected in ways that impact on all areas of health and life.
• What can I do to make a difference? Even simple and practical things can and do matter, especially when they signify that you have a real interest. This is what this section is about.
• Do I need to know more than just the basics? Basic information is a start, and you can learn from ”Worried about HIV?” and “Living with HIV”.
• Is it not better to refer on someone with HIV? Not always – the needs of people with HIV might be similar to anyone else’s. Not all of the needs of positive people are related to their HIV status.

To be relevant in meeting the needs of people living with HIV, we need to develop our learning. Information about where and how to develop our knowledge and skills is important in planning. We can make our services more ‘HIV competent’ and ‘HIV friendly’.