Newcastle Hospitals has become only the second NHS trust in the country to be awarded official recognition as an HIV Confident organisation.
HIV Confident, a national initiative led jointly by National AIDS Trust, aidsmap, Positively UK and Fast Track Cities, was set up in response to the Government’s HIV action plan to eliminate new HIV transmissions by 2030.
The charter aims to tackle HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the workplace, ensuring that patients and staff living with HIV know that they can access our services – or work for us – with confidence and without fear of discrimination.
A founding member of the HIV Confident charter mark, Newcastle Hospitals was the only non-London NHS trust to take part in the original pilot programme to become an HIV Confident organisation, and undertook multiple initiatives as part of the recognition process, including:
- A trust-wide review of staff knowledge and attitudes around HIV
- A review of employment, health and safety and data protection policies and procedures
- Roll-out of anti-stigma eLearning for all members of staff
- Introduction of anonymous stigma reporting tools for both patients and staff
These actions form part of Newcastle Hospitals ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive and stigma-free environment for all.
Dr Kate Reilly, HIV Clinical Psychologist and lead for the rollout of HIV Confident at Newcastle Hospitals said, “We are so delighted to be a HIV Confident organisation. Stigma is the biggest barrier to living well with HIV, and it is something we can change. We want people living with HIV to feel safe in the knowledge that they will have excellent, informed, non-stigmatising care in Newcastle Hospitals, to increase their ability to engage with their care and live well.
We also really want people living with HIV to feel confident as a valued part of our workforce. We still have a long way to go to ensure everyone living with HIV has great experiences within the Trust, but achieving and maintaining our HIV Confident status gives us the tools to constantly learn and improve here.”
Annie Howard, Senior Programme Manager at National Aids Trust said, “We are thrilled that Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have become the first trust outside of London to officially receive their HIV Confident recognition. The team at Newcastle really helped to drive engagement and enthusiasm for the charter mark, with over 900 staff responses to our survey.
“We are delighted that improving staff knowledge and attitudes around HIV will have a positive impact on people living with and affected by HIV in the region.
“We’d like to thank all Newcastle staff involved in the charter mark for their commitment to addressing HIV stigma and discrimination, and paving the way for other trusts around the country to do the same.”
Helen Anderson, director of the Newcastle-based Blue Sky Trust charity, who provide support for people living with HIV in the north east, added, “We welcome the awarding of HIV Confident status at Newcastle Hospitals. This recognition represents a significant step forward in ensuring that people living with HIV across our region can access healthcare with confidence, knowing they will be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. It demonstrates a clear commitment to providing inclusive, non-stigmatising, and non-discriminatory care, underpinned by supportive staff practices and robust policies.”
Annie Laverty is Newcastle Hospitals’ Chief Experience Officer and executive sponsor for HIV Confident. She said “I’m thrilled to see our Trust taking proactive steps to break down the stigma surrounding HIV. We’ve learned and achieved so much in our journey to becoming an HIV Confident organisation, and I’m very proud of the team’s dedication to making a difference.
“By tackling stigma, we know we can improve mental and physical health outcomes, increase access to vital services, and support individuals in all aspects of their lives, including employment.”
Newcastle Hospitals stigma reporting tools can be accessed below:
HIV Stigma or Discrimination Incident Form for Patients
HIV Stigma or Discrimination Incident Form for Staff
