We place patients at the heart of their own care, consulting them at every stage and involving them in decision-making. This doesn’t just help us tailor an individual patient’s care to their own specific needs, and thus make it more effective: it helps us think strategically, too, and constantly informs our service design and improvement.
HIV care focuses on self-management, and that makes patient involvement in the devising of treatment plans key to achieving long-term adherence. That’s why patients receive access to a health adviser or counsellor, as well as other forms of emotional support (for instance, through peers), to help them understand the particular difficulties they may be facing.
Treatment and prevention go hand in hand, and that’s why we also focus on education, often delivered in partnership with charities or community groups. Personalising that information, and informing decision-making by enabling patients to discuss with each other and their doctors their concerns or questions about care helps achieve consent and understanding between all parties.
Promotion good health and self-knowledge helps ensure that a patient’s treatment suits them and their lifestyle, and that it is sustainable in the long-term. HIV treatment plans need to be adhered to strictly: putting the patient at the centre of designing it in the first plan ensures they can take ownership of this process from day one.
We’re proud to work with our patients to improve their care – and we’re happy to talk over this aspect of HIV care with you whenever you have questions!
