Project overview
This demand-led project directly responds to the pressing mental health needs of people living with HIV in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex (KSS). We are working within a multidisciplinary KSS Coalition for Living Well with HIV to:
- Identify gaps in access to existing commissioned mental health services in the region.
- Co-design pathways for linkage to existing mental health services with and for people living with HIV in the region.
Medical treatment has transformed HIV from a life sentence to a manageable, chronic condition. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) means that people on effective HIV medication with an undetectable viral load cannot pass on HIV. However, persisting psycho-social challenges including stigma and discrimination are compromising quality of life and engagement with services.
In the UK, people living with HIV have a higher chance of developing depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress compared to the rest of the population. Integrating HIV and mental health services can help meet the complex needs of people living with HIV, whilst improving both patient and service delivery outcomes.