As the annual party conference season is now well underway, we'll be attending each to press the case for action to end HIV transmission by 2030. That deadline means there is just one parliament left to end the epidemic and ensure full and speedy implementation of the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry.
In advance of a probable 2024 general election, we’ll be presenting our policy asks through a mixture of individual meetings with key movers and shakers and our own events with delegates, high-profile speakers and key influencers.
The Liberal Democrats met earlier this week in Bournemouth. In meetings with leading parliamentarians, including the person responsible for co-ordinating the party’s manifesto, we talked about the Contaminated Blood Scandal and our asks on funding for local sexual health services.
This year the Conservative party gathers in Manchester. In our events, hosted in partnership with LGBT+ Conservatives and the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), we’ll be focusing heavily on getting commitments from ministers on expanding opt-out testing in hospital emergency departments for HIV and other blood borne viruses to areas of the country with high prevalence.
We also want to see an expansion of PrEP, including reduced waiting times and prescription costs and outreach for those people who would benefit from it but who do not yet know about PrEP and how it can prevent transmission.
As well as numerous one-to-one meetings with key ministers, MPs, parliamentary candidates and special advisers, we'll be hosting our own event on the conference fringe with some great speakers, including Nicola Richards MP, who recently mentioned the work we do in glowing terms at Prime Minister's Questions.
Labour meets this year in Liverpool. The party is riding high in the opinion polls right now, with strong performances in recent by-elections. As with the Conservative conference, we’ll host a fringe event with our partners at BASSH and LGBT+ Labour, including shadow public health minister Preet Gill MP and All Party Parliamentary Group co-chair Florence Eshalomi MP. We’ll be talking about the urgent need to renew the existing HIV Action Plan for England so that we’re in the best place possible to meet the 2030 commitment and tell HIV that 'time’s up!'
Additionally, Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland works daily to make sure Scottish ministers and politicians know what we want from them. Scotland does not – as yet – have its own HIV Action Plan, unlike England and Wales, and so we are lobbying hard to make sure the Scottish National Party understand the value of having this in place if the 2030 elimination goal is to be met. We’ll be in Aberdeen in October at the SNP conference to push precisely that message.
Candidates for the UK general election should be recognising the incredible opportunity in front of them – whichever political party they represent. We have a realistic and exciting opportunity to end new HIV cases in this country by 2030 and be the first in the world to do it: this chance must be grasped. Time is running out.
Paul Bates is our Assistant Director of External Affairs.
