BHIVA launch standards for HIV clinical care (2007)
4 April 2007. Related: Guidelines.
The Standards for HIV Clinical Care, a new report by the British HIV Association, Royal College of Physicians, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and British Infection Society. Standards for HIV Clinical Care was developed through a wide consultation process and was launched at the Royal College of Physicians on 20 March 2007.
Key recommendations address:
- The organisation and structure of hospital care, recognising that HIV is best managed as a complex, chronic medical condition.
- Proposals for formalising two main levels of service provision and networks including out patient centres and more specialised centres offering inpatient and referral services.
- An outline of the patient journey including testing, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, resistance and approach to more complicated illness and infections, with appropriate triggers for referral between different providers.
- Staffing levels and clinical commitment needed to maintain professional expertise in HIV care.
- Record keeping to support a chronic disease model of care.
- Suggested key criteria for national auditing and audit topics for clinical networks
The British HIV Association and partners plan to work with commissioners, clinicians, patient representatives and other stakeholders towards the implementation of the recommendations within Standards for Clinical HIV Care.
The organisation also welcomes feedback on these proposals.
BHIVA website:
http://www.bhiva.org