Dean
Linzey
Dean Linzey is International Trainer
and UK Education Coordinator with HIV charity Mildmay. David G Taylor
caught up with him to find out more about the organisation
Can you tell us a bit about Mildmay?
Mildmay is a non-denominational Christian organisation. There are two parts,
the international operation and the UK centre. Internationally, Mildmay has
many projects, from a large specialist centre in Uganda to small, community-based
operations in Tanzania. Much of what we do involves working with partners
to help local communities to identify their needs and then to provide training
and technical support to help them build the infrastructure to address those
needs.
The London Centre is a hospital and day care facility providing care to people
presenting with complex HIV-related conditions, particularly HIV-related brain
impairment (HRBI).
What does your work involve?
I have been involved in developing training in Africa and Eastern Europe,
including HIV awareness, counselling and community mobilisation. The beauty
of Mildmay’s international work is that it’s very much about building
capacity locally. In the UK I’ve been developing a training programme
for care providers, which acknowledges contemporary issues in HIV management.
What are the high/low points?
I’ve worked in the field for 14 years now. Based in the UK, it’s
easy to lose sight of HIV as a global disease. Travelling allows me to see
HIV as it really is and I’ve had the honour to work with some truly
special people. To see small groups, often in remote areas, achieving so much
with so little is truly humbling.
What makes Mildmay’s East End operation unique?
Mildmay Hospital in Hackney, London, is where our work with HIV started in
1988. It’s now a dedicated centre for HIV and houses the largest HRBI
unit in Europe. What makes it unique for me is the integrated care and rehabilitation
approach; all members of the team, including the clients, have equal input.
How does the charity rehabilitate those affected by HIV?
Rehabilitation is the product of the actions of a closely cooperative interdisciplinary
team. We have in-patient and day care services and are currently running a
‘Living Well’ expert patient programme. Rehabilitation requires
careful assessment on admission, a care plan and regular progress reviews.
With this level of input, it’s possible to truly maximise a client’s
potential.
How have support services changed in the UK over the last five years and how
is Mildmay responding?
The nature of HIV and its management have changed dramatically. Services need
to keep one step ahead. Sadly, the way the NHS is funded means services are
often planned retrospectively.
In response, Mildmay is focussing on the areas we have expertise in and which
meet the projected needs of people living with HIV in the UK; palliative care,
HRBI, working in multi-cultural settings and HIV counselling, all areas valuable
to those providing HIV-related care in the UK. This can help to build capacity
in healthcare facilities and community-based organisations.
What have you been doing internationally?
One of the best parts of the job is the opportunity to travel, but sadly this
is also one of the worst. Working in the UK it’s easy to think HIV is
manageable and that we are “winning the war”. Modern effective
therapies, undetectable viral loads and increased awareness all give the impression
HIV is a chronic viral condition. In Africa, India and Eastern Europe, the
picture is often tragically different. Mildmay’s approach to can make
a real, sustainable difference.
What are the greatest challenges faced by those you are helping abroad?
In some areas, HIV prevalence is staggering. During a recent visit to a beautiful
island in Lake Victoria, 73 per cent of people were testing positive at the
local clinic. Many people are suffering for the want of basic care and many
are dying. More people can access ARVs but we need to ensure lines of supply
and optimal therapy can be maintained.
Stigma and discrimination is still rife. Knowledge is the route to challenging
this; the more we can raise awareness and give the whole story rather than
just the bits we are comfortable with the better the future.
www.mildmay.org
