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| Charities criticise London 'failing' HIV prevention programme | Charities criticise London 'failing' HIV prevention programme |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Andy Dangerfield BBC News, London | By Andy Dangerfield BBC News, London |
| Charities have criticised the way HIV services in London are commissioned following the release of a report which highlights "significant management failings" and a "lack of strategy". | Charities have criticised the way HIV services in London are commissioned following the release of a report which highlights "significant management failings" and a "lack of strategy". |
| The Pan London HIV Prevention Programme (PLHPP) Needs Assessment report highlights "failings" of the pan London HIV commissioning group, which spends £2.3m a year. | The Pan London HIV Prevention Programme (PLHPP) Needs Assessment report highlights "failings" of the pan London HIV commissioning group, which spends £2.3m a year. |
| HIV treatment in London costs £500m with almost 30,000 people accessing care and that number rising by 5% annually. | HIV treatment in London costs £500m with almost 30,000 people accessing care and that number rising by 5% annually. |
| The PLHPP provides prevention work targeting gay men and African communities and treatment information for people with HIV. | The PLHPP provides prevention work targeting gay men and African communities and treatment information for people with HIV. |
| HIV prevention charity African Health Policy Network (AHPN) chief Francis Kaikumba said he was "shocked, annoyed and heads need to roll" in light of the report. | HIV prevention charity African Health Policy Network (AHPN) chief Francis Kaikumba said he was "shocked, annoyed and heads need to roll" in light of the report. |
| Meanwhile, Caspar Thomson, director of the National Aids Manual, which provides information on HIV and Aids, said: "The whole process is moving too slowly. There's an urgent need to address HIV prevention in London." | Meanwhile, Caspar Thomson, director of the National Aids Manual, which provides information on HIV and Aids, said: "The whole process is moving too slowly. There's an urgent need to address HIV prevention in London." |
| But Mark Creelman, director of strategy at Inner North West London Primary Care Trusts (INWL PCTs), which leads the pan London HIV commissioning group, said: "We are working to ensure the programme has the right leadership and the right governance in place to be as effective as possible." | But Mark Creelman, director of strategy at Inner North West London Primary Care Trusts (INWL PCTs), which leads the pan London HIV commissioning group, said: "We are working to ensure the programme has the right leadership and the right governance in place to be as effective as possible." |
| 'Crisis level' | 'Crisis level' |
| The needs assessment report was prepared by the INWL PCTs on behalf of the Pan London HIV commissioning group and will be used to guide future commissioning intentions. | The needs assessment report was prepared by the INWL PCTs on behalf of the Pan London HIV commissioning group and will be used to guide future commissioning intentions. |
| It identified "significant failings with the management of the programme" and said "providers have fallen far short of their activity targets". | It identified "significant failings with the management of the programme" and said "providers have fallen far short of their activity targets". |
| Failings identified by the report included "a lack of clarity over leadership" and "inconsistent direction from commissioners". | Failings identified by the report included "a lack of clarity over leadership" and "inconsistent direction from commissioners". |
| The programme "appears to have evolved over time without any explicit strategic direction", the report said. | The programme "appears to have evolved over time without any explicit strategic direction", the report said. |
| Mr Thomson responded to the report saying: "Over the course of the years of the programme, I think the strategic direction was lost." | Mr Thomson responded to the report saying: "Over the course of the years of the programme, I think the strategic direction was lost." |
| Mr Kaikumba said: "HIV prevention work in London is at an all-time crisis level." | Mr Kaikumba said: "HIV prevention work in London is at an all-time crisis level." |
| "Where is the accountability? Why has there been a lack of leadership?" he asked. | "Where is the accountability? Why has there been a lack of leadership?" he asked. |
| "Heads need to roll in terms of what the PLHPP is going to do about it." | "Heads need to roll in terms of what the PLHPP is going to do about it." |
| 'Urgent' need | 'Urgent' need |
| But Mr Creelman said: "The basis for the needs assessment was to give us a more strategic direction. | But Mr Creelman said: "The basis for the needs assessment was to give us a more strategic direction. |
| "Across commissioning and providers, we have a joint responsibility to ensure we're spending taxpayers' money effectively." | "Across commissioning and providers, we have a joint responsibility to ensure we're spending taxpayers' money effectively." |
| The report highlights the need for an "urgent" exercise "to inform commissioning intentions". | The report highlights the need for an "urgent" exercise "to inform commissioning intentions". |
| Another report, entitled PLHPP Final Evaluation Report, published last February, showed of 17 projects commissioned, only two "merited continued commissioning". | Another report, entitled PLHPP Final Evaluation Report, published last February, showed of 17 projects commissioned, only two "merited continued commissioning". |
| A total of 11 were said to "merit no further investment" while four needed "fundamental restructuring". | A total of 11 were said to "merit no further investment" while four needed "fundamental restructuring". |
| Nevertheless, these projects all continue to receive funding through the programme, nearly a year after the report was published. | Nevertheless, these projects all continue to receive funding through the programme, nearly a year after the report was published. |
| Mr Thomson stressed the need for urgent action, saying: "Organisations are under threat because of the delays and if some of them go a huge amount of knowledge and expertise will be lost." | Mr Thomson stressed the need for urgent action, saying: "Organisations are under threat because of the delays and if some of them go a huge amount of knowledge and expertise will be lost." |
| But Mr Creelman said: "The needs assessment is very much the start of the process. | But Mr Creelman said: "The needs assessment is very much the start of the process. |
| "We understand the urgency but we wanted to make absolutely sure within the evidence that has been collected, that organisations look at the needs assessment." | "We understand the urgency but we wanted to make absolutely sure within the evidence that has been collected, that organisations look at the needs assessment." |
| Contributors to the report now have until 6 February to comment further, before new commissioning intentions are "developed". | Contributors to the report now have until 6 February to comment further, before new commissioning intentions are "developed". |
| 'Disproportionately low' | 'Disproportionately low' |
| The needs assessment report also highlighted that the PLHPP spends £320,000 per year on the black African community, compared with £1.3m on "men who have sex with men". | The needs assessment report also highlighted that the PLHPP spends £320,000 per year on the black African community, compared with £1.3m on "men who have sex with men". |
| "Spend targeted at the black African population appears disproportionately low" the report said. | "Spend targeted at the black African population appears disproportionately low" the report said. |
| Mr Kaikumba said: "The amount of money that goes towards Black African work is ridiculous - it's really poor. | Mr Kaikumba said: "The amount of money that goes towards Black African work is ridiculous - it's really poor. |
| "We're shocked and annoyed how few pennies are being spent to support black Africans with HIV," he said. | "We're shocked and annoyed how few pennies are being spent to support black Africans with HIV," he said. |
| But Mr Creelman said: "The needs assessment supports that Black African work is much better served by being done at a local level. | But Mr Creelman said: "The needs assessment supports that Black African work is much better served by being done at a local level. |
| "Lots of PCTs have Black African HIV prevention programmes and those programmes were set up to address their local needs." | "Lots of PCTs have Black African HIV prevention programmes and those programmes were set up to address their local needs." |
| Mr Kaikumba said the report showed: "We're spending such a tiny amount on prevention." | Mr Kaikumba said the report showed: "We're spending such a tiny amount on prevention." |
| "Can we get away with spending so little?" he asked. | "Can we get away with spending so little?" he asked. |
| But Mr Creelman stressed: "This is a programme within a wider prevention portfolio. The local PCTs also fund localised services". | But Mr Creelman stressed: "This is a programme within a wider prevention portfolio. The local PCTs also fund localised services". |
| Meanwhile, with 26% of Londoners affected with HIV remaining undiagnosed, there appear to be no plans to reduce the amount spent on HIV prevention. | |
| "Chief executives are absolutely committed to not taking any money out of prevention in this programme," Mr Creelman said. | "Chief executives are absolutely committed to not taking any money out of prevention in this programme," Mr Creelman said. |