FRONTLINE HIV Forum Meeting 1st September 2009

FRONTLINE HIV Forum Meetings:

Members: General Members Forum
Date: 1st September 2009
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Attendees: 8
Apologies: 2

• The Forum Link of patient representatives is to hold a symposium of invited delegates
  in March 2010, to discuss proposals under review with regard to primary care. This assembly will discuss
  matters arising; funding, patient and staff preferences, gain media coverage, how to involve HIV drug
  companies, and impact assessment, in order to formulate reports, thereby drawing up a structure for
  advancement which would be presented to the Primary Care Commissioners.
• One proposal is to have trained HIV General Practitioners (GP’s) within their general community
  at large. The other proposal is to have a specialist GP attached to existing HIV clinics, which would ensure
  anonymity and possibly provide a rounder care package and require no impact assessment. Funding
  streams for this would have to facilitate that any patient attending clinic should be able to access
  care (i.e. not only patients who reside in the area covered by the Primary Care Trust).

• This Forum proposes to invite in the future members of other HIV Forums to share knowledge.
  Other organisations which could be invited include; The Terence Higgins Trust, National Aids Trust, Positively
  Women, European Coalition of Positive People, and The River Trust Organisation (where this forum proposes
  to hold a meeting sometime in the future; to be arranged).
• The Patient and Public Engagement Subgroup (PPE) wish to hold a road show at this forum – date
  to be confirmed.

• Awaiting final re-draft of instrument before submission to Ethics Committee.

• The first stage of planning has been approved for building of the new extension to the hospital,
  which includes a new paediatric ward as well as a new HIV ward and day care area. Dr. Debbie Richards is
  leading the project involving sub-groups that require input in the form of suggestions from patients as to
  which facilities they wish to have included in the new facilities. Some suggestions were; Wi-Fi access,
  sockets for laptops, good air conditioning in side rooms, a quiet area for work or meditation, a place for
  social interaction. Methodology on how to get patients opinions will require future work.
• Command and control scenario modelling is to take place on how to respond to a possible Swine Flu
  epidemic. The chief executive will decide how to allocate teams and get feedback from them.
• The HIV testing project in the accident and emergency department has been successful in that take up
  of the saliva kit test achieved a very high percentage. One individual returned positive test, and although
  we regret that fact, it is good to know that she/he will now be able to access treatment.
• It was suggested that surgeries should be set to offer peer support from forum members to newly
  diagnosed patients. Further research on this subject is required.
• Ideas on how to make the forum more diverse involving more women and ethnic minorities from all
  the clinics were debated. Discussions are ongoing with the River House and Positively Women on holding
  meetings covering women’s issues.
• It was decided that to ensure confidentiality forum member’s names would be abbreviated to initials,
  unless specific instructions otherwise were received.
• At the next meeting the chair will swap roles with the secretary.