Mobile Sexual Health Clinic Reports Increase in HIV Testing

A mobile sexual health clinic has reported an uptick in individuals seeking HIV testing for the first time. The Florey Clinic’s mobile unit has been operating across Berkshire since July, providing NHS screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The team indicated that approximately 75 per cent of individuals served since the program’s inception had not previously undergone testing. The NHS aims to eliminate new HIV transmissions in England by the year 2030. This information is sourced from the Terrence Higgins Trust and the NHS. Jack (not his real name) received an HIV-positive diagnosis in his mid-thirties. The 51-year-old Berkshire resident stated that he continues to experience stigma, even 17 years subsequently. He remarked, “I have known people to be beaten up because of their HIV, let alone about being gay, so you have two things to deal with.” Jack informed the BBC that living with HIV had altered his personal relationships. He commented, “You have the problem of being older and also trying to tell somebody you [have] HIV.” Kate Rabjohns, a sexual health clinical nurse specialist, accompanies the Florey Clinic and expressed her desire to contribute to the normalisation of sexual health. She stated: “We wanted to move away from the whole idea that sexual health is something to be embarrassed about gone are the days that it is hidden at the back of the hospital.” The mobile unit seeks to engage individuals such as Aurora (not her real name), who encountered the service serendipitously. She recounted that she was undergoing a blood test very quickly. She mentioned, “I have many friends who are sex positive and it is good to know that they can get advice, testing and everything.” She added, “I was feeling very nervous when I went there first time but they are good, they don’t judge you, they put your mind at ease.” Individuals impacted by the subjects discussed in this report can access the BBC Action Line. BBC Berkshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.