A major HIV/AIDS event due to take place at the Upper House Hotel in Barlaston will put Staffordshire at the forefront of HIV issues for the new millennium.

HIV 2000, on Wednesday 15th November, is a joint initiative co-ordinated by Staffordshire Buddies bringing together resources from South Staffordshire and North Staffordshire Health Authorities as well as Staffordshire County Council Social Services, by providing an information day for people with HIV and those involved in their care

The purpose of the day is to examine “quality of life” issues for people living with HIV in this new millennium, in the light of the massive changes in drug therapies during the last five years and their subsequent effects on the life styles and choices now available for many people living successfully with HIV.

The day is aimed at both professionals working with HIV+ people as well as those people actually living with the virus, and will be separated into two distinct parts. The morning session will be open to all professionals, carers and positive people, followed by an afternoon session exclusively for those people living with or affected by the disease.

Staffordshire Buddies have managed to secure some of the UK’s most highly regarded and influential speakers on this subject including Ruth Webb and Andrew Little of the United Kingdom Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDS (UKC)

Ruth Webb (Chair of the UKC) is also a member of the European Coalition of Positive People that includes people with Hepatitis as well as people living with HIV. Ruth is also an executive member of BHIVA (British HIV Association) where she is a community representative in an organisation principally for doctors and she has also just been invited to join the Royal College of GPs HIV working party. An HIV-positive mum with two daughters (2½ years and 5 months old baby) she feels very strongly about getting the voice of positive people heard in all areas of treatment and care prevention, as she believes that “only we can inform and make successful any interventions planned”. Looking forward to the conference she indicated that she will also be talking about peer support and the reasons for the existence of the UKC.

Andrew Little, the UKC’s Futures Development Co-ordinator has a long history of involvement (both personal and professional) in the HIV sector in Australia and England. Andrew has a keen interest in the psychosocial impacts of HIV and has written extensively about both the retirement process and more recently about future options for people with HIV

HIV 2000 promises to be both a stimulating and challenging day for all those people whose lives include HIV on a daily basis. Positive Lives would like to thank all those who have been involved in bringing together what promises to be a much needed re-think around the lives of HIV+ people.