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Policy

We work behind the scenes to improve conditions for people with HIV and poor sexual health, and those most at risk of them. Find out what we do and how to get involved.

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Government consultations

THT regularly responds to Government consultations on issues related to HIV and sexual health, disability and many other areas that directly affect the people who use our services. We also help with consultations on behalf of Government where this will support greater inclusion of the voices of people personally concerned about HIV and sexual health.

We want to respond

Often, we are contacted directly by Government and NHS organisations seeking our views. However, if there is a current or upcoming Government consultation which you think THT should be responding to, please tell us about it because we may not always have been included on the circulation list. We try to respond to all relevant consultations.

Recent consultations

Recent consultations we have responded to include:

  • The National Institute for Clinical Excellence consultations on preventing sexually transmitted infections and on the use of interferon in Hepatitis C
  • National Asylum Support System consultation on healthcare for asylum seekers
  • The Social Care Green Paper
  • NHS guidance on HIV infected health care workers
  • The National Blood Service consultation on restrictions on giving blood
  • The Department of Health Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Advisory Group
  • Choosing Health public health policy
  • Charging for overseas visitors
  • Payment By Results

Many of these required a formal policy submission, though some were simply discussions in working groups. Where a written submission exists, we will be happy to share it with you on request. 

Contact us

For more information email policy@tht.org.uk.

The Green Paper on the Future of Social Care

The Care and Support Green Paper – Shaping the Future of Care looks at how to improve and pay for social care in the future. The Department of Health is currently consulting on the proposals in the paper.

The creation of a universally accessible National Care Service for disabled people is a step in the right direction. People with HIV are now living longer as a result of the improvement in medication and increasingly will need care in their old age. The proposals for improving the current care model with a fairer, simpler and more affordable system should help to ensure that care provision is standardised throughout the country.

We welcomed the assurances, which were initially given by the Department of Health that Disability Living Allowance (DLA) would not be integrated in the proposed system. This meant that people with HIV who are already on DLA would retain this benefit past their 65th birthday.  However, in a statement made on 13th October 2009, the DWP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Lords refused to rule out the possibility of DLA being integrated into the proposed new care and support system in England. 

He said that, ‘At this stage, we do not want to rule out any options and so are considering all disability benefits.’

We would not want to see DLA integrated in the future care system because this is a benefit for people under 65 and the majority of social care needs are for people who are older. And we are also of the view that, Attendance Allowance should not be integrated unless the main advantages of this benefit are retained and built upon in the current proposal. Attendance Allowance provides a non-means tested universal entitlement to someone over the age of 65 living with disability.

There is an ongoing consultation and the closing date for responses to this is 13th November 2009. 

A number of “Big Care Debates” are taking place up and down the country. You can find out about events near you by going to: www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk

Once you have read the Green Paper you can email your comments to careandsupport@dh.gsi.gov.uk or write to:

Care and Support Team
Room 149
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London SW1A 2NS.

Terrence Higgins Trust will be submitting an organisational response to the consultation.

There's a petition against the integration of the DLA and AA into the new social care proposals - you can sign it on the website of the Prime Minister's Office