The challenge ahead

By 2012, we estimate that:

• There will be over 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK.
• Over a quarter of these people will be undiagnosed.
• People with HIV will continue to face high levels of poverty and discrimination.
• There will be an increase in the numbers of people with HIV with needs related to long term diagnosis and ageing, and also increasing numbers of people with mental health need.
• New diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections will remain high, particularly among people traditional services don’t reach; the sexual health of gay men will continue to present a major challenge.
• Rates of unintended pregnancies will continue to be high.
• Up to 400,000 people will have Hepatitis C, most of whom will be undiagnosed, and many co-infected with HIV.
• Demand for HIV and sexual health services will continue to exceed the levels of service publicly funded in the UK.
• There will still be stigma attached to HIV and sexual health issues.
• HIV and sexual health will remain unpopular causes for people to give money to.
• There will be new technological opportunities and challenges within both the HIV and sexual health fields.

Our strategy until 2012

To meet the challenges ahead we plan to:

• Maximise sexual health
• Empower eveyone living with HIV
• Lead public and political support

At the same time, we will also continue to strengthen the way in which the charity works so that high quality management and governance, and well functioning management and information systems actively support people using our services, our staff and volunteers.

We also recognise that people and funders have a choice of which organisation’s services they use or fund. We will strengthen the ways in which we work with and involve beneficiaries and NHS, local authority, and voluntary funders in our work so that we continue to ensure that THT is a community service partner of choice in the HIV and sexual health field.