“The progress made in supporting people with HIV, enabling them to live independent, fulfilling lives, and the fact that it is no longer the death sentence it once was, is a major public health success story."
Responding to Public Health England annual HIV statistics, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing board, said:
“The progress made in supporting people with HIV, enabling them to live independent, fulfilling lives, and the fact that it is no longer the death sentence it once was, is a major public health success story.
“Since public health moved to local government in 2013, councils have embraced their new responsibilities and worked with their health and community partners to deliver innovative programmes that support people with HIV.
“Councils invest more than £600 million a year in sexual health preventative services, including HIV, not just because it is cost-effective in saving money in the long term, but because it significantly improves people's general health and wellbeing.
“The success of sexual health and HIV services depends on everyone working together to make these services responsive, relevant and as easy to use as possible and ultimately improve the public’s health.
“Early diagnosis is also key to making sure that people benefit from HIV treatments so they can live long and healthy lives and are protected from passing on the virus to others.
“It is easy to get tested for HIV. Testing is freely available through sexual health clinics, GPs, pharmacies as well as on self-sampling and self-testing. As well as getting tested, using a condom with new or casual partners protects against HIV and other STIs."