Two of London’s busiest HIV and sexual health clinics will be joining forces on Wednesday November 27 for European HIV Testing Week to offer on the spot HIV testing to even more people.
Clinicians from the Mortimer Market Centre and 56 Dean Street, run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust respectively, will be working together from an outreach health bus. The bus will be parked in the car park of the University of London Union (ULU), on Byng Place and has facilities to offer rapid HIV testing for staff and students of University College London (UCL) and other nearby universities and organisations.
The two clinics offer thousands of HIV tests between them every year to men and women across London. This year, they are particularly reaching out to the two groups who are hardest hit by HIV, men who have sex with men and the black African and Caribbean communities.
Dr Patrick French, Consultant Physician at the Mortimer Market Centre, says: “We know that with an early diagnosis and good care, people with HIV can live long, healthy and fulfilled lives. Still today we know that a number of people are living with undiagnosed infections or are diagnosed too late, something that can take years off their life expectancy. During HIV Testing Week, we are looking forward to working with 56 Dean Street to show that there are many ways, many settings and many possibilities to test.”
Dr Gary Whitlock, Sexual Health Consultant at 56 Dean Street, said: “We want to normalise HIV testing, support people who are living with HIV and reduce the number of people becoming infected. We are very excited about this new collaboration between two of the biggest sexual health clinics in the country.”
The outreach health bus will be parked in the ULU car park, Byng Place, London WC1E 7LE, from 12.00-14.00 on Wednesday November 27 2013.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
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