South London HIV Peer Support and Advice & Advocacy Services

Overview:

South London HIV services are seeking a provider or group of providers for the provision of peer support and advice & advocacy (A&A) services as part of post-diagnosis support to people with HIV who have been diagnosed through the Emergency Department (ED) Blood-Borne Virus (BBV) Opt-Out Testing Programme.

Partnership and consortium bids are encouraged to support collaborative approaches that maximise expertise and strengthen engagement within the HIV voluntary and community sector.

Objectives:

• Provide a standardised in-clinic peer support offer across South London as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team in all HIV clinics

• Provide A&A services to support holistic needs of clients, such as with housing, finances and immigration advice, as well as signposting to drug and alcohol or mental health services where applicable

• Ensure equitable access to peer support and A&A services, supporting clients to gain a greater understanding and acceptance of an HIV diagnosis to improve engagement in care, improved health-related quality of life outcomes and to reduce onward transmission of HIV

• Increase the number of people retained in care and receiving effective HIV treatment

• Follow the National Standards in HIV Peer Support guidance to implement an effective programme

• Improve the skills, knowledge and confidence of people living with HIV as an effective way to tackle stigma

• Implement robust outcome measures and data reporting