| In fact, there is no such ‘regulation’,
and all dentists are expected to follow good practice by always
sterilising equipment before every new appointment, since many people
with HIV, Hepatitis C |
and a range of other transmissible
conditions are unaware they are infected.
In a joint survey the UKC did with the THT last year, some interesting
results came out about what patients felt about increasing GP involvement
in sexual health and HIV service. Out of a total of 430 responses,
in fact, 60 per cent of respondents opposed this and would not use
such a service.
What came out of the questionnaire was that if GPs were to take
on a greater role, several crucial issues would need to be tackled
first: the lack of proper training for GPs and their staff; confidentiality;
and the fear of discrimination from insurance companies or employers.
Respondents agreed that the benefits of testing must be better explained
and that the government must act to ensure that people diagnosed
with HIV were better protected from discrimination in order to encourage
testing.
Almost 80 per cent of the survey’s participants with HIV had
experienced some form of prejudice or discrimination since their
diagnosis. Health service staff were common sources of this discrimination.
What’s in place for patient involvement?
So what exactly is being done to counteract such discrimination
and what measures are being put in place to help the patient get
involved?
The government’s ‘Sexual Health and HIV Action Plan’,
published in June 2002, stated: “We will continue to involve
service users at both national and local level, in redesigning services
around their needs.”
What’s more, Alan Milburn, Secretary of State for Health,
said: “The NHS needs to work with local communities, not just
because it is the right thing to do, but because effective partnerships
will help deliver results.”
To this end, a number of government initiatives have been set up
recently to try and get the public more involved at a more strategic
level.
Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) have become responsible for most healthcare
services in every local area. They provide health services or pay
for another organisation to provide them; these include HIV and
sexual health services.
PCTs are responsible for services at GPs, GUM clinics, voluntary
organisations and other settings. Each |
