HIV charities apparently shake their heads in disbelief when talking about Wales because our record on tackling HIV is so poor.
This is despite the fact new cases of HIV in Wales rose by 13% year-on-year in 2006.
Tyddyn Bach in Penmaenmawr is one of only two non-medical HIV respite centres in the U.K. It’s something to be proud of, but in reality they are always struggling to stay open as the centre doesn’t get a single penny of funding from the local health boards or the Welsh Assembly.
As a result, all the people who use the centre are from across the border, where they can get funding for much needed respite care.
Over the past three years only two people with HIV from Wales have been able to use Tyddyn Bach – and they had to foot the bill themselves.
Philip Kearton-Smith, Manager of Tyddyn Bach, doesn’t try to hide his frustration: “People who are involved with HIV charities or health boards outside Wales always say to me: ’Don’t talk to me about Wales.’ Wales seems to be in denial about HIV and AIDS. The attitude is that ignorance is bliss. We do HIV awareness workshops in local schools and sometimes it really is quite frightening when talking to some of the young people. It seems some believe HIV can be caught after sitting on a dirty toilet seat, and that pills can be taken to make a HIV+ person free of the disease! A lot of people don’t have a real understanding of the condition. Overall, sexual health in Wales is very poor; and what does Conwy do? It closes down all the young people’s sexual health clinics! If somebody is diagnosed as HIV+ in Wales, there is just no support for them unless they live in Cardiff. We don’t receive any statutory funding and because it’s not a disease like cancer or diabetes, people will not take a stand and fight for help as there’s so much of a stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS,” added Philip.
“There’s just no help for people with the disease in North Wales apart from their GPs. Even a support service called Body Positive North West has moved from Chester to Crewe, so it can be incredibly isolating for people living with the disease. It’s a terrible shame that more people from Wales can’t come here, as Tyddyn Bach is very much about living with HIV and not dying with it.”
Philip says that Tyddyn Bach empowers families and individuals living with HIV to lead an active, optimistic life rather than becoming trapped in depression where life appears to be rolling out of control.
“In Wales, whilst medication for HIV continues to improve dramatically, there’s very little on offer to improve the emotional side,” he continued.
“There are a lot of people feeling isolated and lonely because they are being neglected by the health services.”
However, Wyn Thomas, chief executive of Conwy Local Health Board, said there are services available for those infected with HIV.
“We have only been given one referral to Tyddyn Bach in the last four years from somebody who had HIV in North Wales. There have been a couple of other referrals from other parts of Wales, but it would be up to the patient’s own local health board to fund any possible respite care,” he said.
A Conwy and Denbighshire Health Trust spokeswoman added: “The Trust provides excellent medical care, counselling, support and advice to patients who are HIV+ via clinics in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Wrexham Maelor. Anyone seeking help and advice can access these clinics in person or by phone. Further support is provided by Body Support Cheshire and North Wales, who have just received a lottery grant to help increase service provision in North Wales.”
