18 February 2016
The event was supported by LCH colleagues, doctors from various health organisations, physiotherapists and Sahir House.
Liverpool Community Health (LCH) NHS Trust’s HIV nursing service have planned and delivered an engagement event for women who are living with HIV.
Hosted on Friday, February 12 by the HIV community specialist nursing team, supported by LCH colleagues, doctors from various health organisations, physiotherapists and Sahir House, this was the fourth event of its kind to be delivered in Merseyside and was attended by over 60 women and a range of professionals.
The event included a series of short interactive presentations, workshops and information stands providing help and advice on a broad range of health and social care issues relating to HIV, including disclosure, pregnancy, gender based violence, women’s health issues, sex and relationships.
As part of the event, women shared their moving, personal stories about how they came to terms with having HIV, and of how they have learnt to overcome stigma and effectively manage aspects of their lives with support from the HIV team. Throughout the event, additional information and advice was also made available through a series of information stands, supported by health experts and counsellors.
Pauline Jelliman, Service Lead and Specialist Community HIV Nurse, explains: “This unique event was planned and delivered by LCH in collaboration with Sahir House which is Merseyside’s HIV information and support centre. Feedback from a number of women living with HIV helped to plan, shape and inform the organisations as to the event content and delivery. I am incredibly proud of the impact this event has on the ladies who attended, empowering them to optimise their health to live well with HIV”.
Carole Panteli, Interim Director of Nursing of LCH, said: “At Liverpool Community Health we aim to always provide high quality, flexible health care services which fully reflect and meet the needs of our diverse local communities. This event aimed to support women living with HIV in relation to their sexual activity and sexual health. This was a fantastic opportunity to be able to listen to some of our service users sharing their real life stories of living with HIV and the challenges they face. It was also a particularly powerful way of challenging some of the myths and prejudices which still exist that surround HIV.”
Liverpool Community Health aims to plan more events to help address this unmet need amongst women living with HIV in the near future.
HIV testing sessions delivered by the HIV nurses and Armistead staff, take place every Wednesday afternoon between 2-4pm at the Armistead Centre.
If you would further health advice or support on HIV, please contact the Liverpool Community Health HIV Service on: 0151 295 8650 or contact Sahir House on: 0151 237 3989 or email: info@sahir.uk.com
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