- Community healthcare staff received specialist HIV awareness training from George House Trust
- The session focused on building confidence in caring for a growing ageing population living with HIV
- National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day is marked on Friday 18 September
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has welcomed George House Trust to deliver a specialist HIV awareness training session for community healthcare colleagues.
The session aimed to help improve understanding, tackle stigma and ensure people living with HIV receive compassionate, informed care.
Held at Crompton Health Centre, the bespoke session was designed to equip community healthcare professionals with the knowledge and confidence needed when caring for a growing aging population who live with HIV.
With modern treatments enabling people with HIV to live long and healthy lives, community healthcare teams are increasingly supporting an ageing population living with the condition. The session provided a safe and supportive environment for colleagues to ask questions, challenge misconceptions and share experiences.
Nick Henshaw, HIV Education and Learning Lead at George House Trust, said:
“With advances in treatment people living with HIV now have normal life expectancies and are living longer than ever before. This means there is a growing number of older people living with HIV.
“It’s important to ensure older people living with HIV receive care that treats everyone with dignity and respect, so that they can continue to live healthy and confident lives.
“Health professionals play an essential role in delivering this, not only in their professional capacity delivering care but as a regular point of contact for people living with HIV.
“We are thrilled that the Community IPC Team at Bolton FT have taken such a proactive step in supporting people living with HIV and being good allies. By working with George House Trust, the Community IPC Team at Bolton FT are playing their part in helping to create a world where HIV holds no one back.”
The session comes ahead of National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day on Friday 18 September, an annual awareness day which highlights the unique health and social needs of older adults living with or affected by HIV.
In 2024, more than 103,000 people accessed HIV care in England, with over half aged 50 and over, reflecting the growing number of older adults living with HIV.
Opt-out testing programme in Royal Bolton Hospital’s Emergency Department
The Trust has also been playing an important role in HIV detection and diagnosis through its blood borne virus testing programme in the Emergency Department at Royal Bolton Hospital.
Since the launch of its opt-out testing scheme in March 2025, tens of thousands of tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C have been carried out. This has resulted in 69 positive HIV tests, including nine new diagnoses, helping people access life-changing treatment and support earlier.
George House Trust can support people living with HIV with a variety of services. If you think someone you are caring for will benefit from our support, please refer them to us, using the following link: George House Trust
If you want advice on any HIV-related issues, you can email info@ght.org.uk or call 0330 174 4433.
