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£6 million this year, and that in order to save £70,000, is
bringing an end to gay HIV prevention work in the area.
They also allege that the head of the Gay Men's Team is to be disciplined
for gross misconduct for alerting the issue to the media.
The group has provided outreach work, safer sex advice and support groups
for young people across Hertfordshire since 1996.
A spokesman for the West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust admitted that "the
hospital is experiencing financial pressures" and that "part
of the costs saved will go to the Trust's financial recovery plan,"
but denied that they were ending HIV prevention work in the area.
But she added: "The Trust believes that it is now time to change
the focus of its service and invest in its core clinical services."
But a volunteer with the Gay Men's Health Team expressed horror at the
move to close the group: "We're the last line of defence. The government
recognises that the gay community has health needs, but the hospital trust
is trying to hide the closure during the summer."
"It's just narrow-minded short-termism. If just one more person gets
HIV because of poor sexual
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health, then it will cost the trust at least ten times
more than they think they're saving."
St Albans MP Kerry Pollard has promised to take up the issue with the
regional health authority and the Department of Health.
The Cerne Abbas Giant (pictured left), a huge and ancient chalk hill figure in Dorset, was the setting for a daring safer sex stunt during Sexual Health Week last month. The campaigners explain: "We arrived at midnight in the pitch black. Commando style, we crept up to the giant and using thick clear plastic made the condom up. It's 22 ft by 6ft! Lucky we weren't caught!"
