Review of services for people living with HIV in New Zealand

6. The need for consistent targeted information for PLHA on available services, and for thegeneral community on prevention strategies: Comments included the following:Knowledge of specific services needs to be increased – people don’t necessarily knowwhat’s available. Primary care staff may have poor knowledge of services availablefor HIV and safe‐sex information needs to be in more depth about the virus, its easeof transmission and consequences.First communication [about HIV] has to be in plain language and simplified. We needgreater information transparency and clearer definitions and terminologies.I needed examples to help me contextualise information given.7. Rapid testing being seen as a licence for high‐risk behaviour if not administered properlywithin a context of counselling and support: One person said that ‘Rapid testing is being used[in some venues] as a pre‐risk licence, not a post‐risk assessment.’ Some also expressedconcern that post‐exposure prophylaxis could become the new ‘morning‐after pill’,undermining initiatives to develop a condom culture.8. The need for training of primary care staff: High primary care service fees and perceptions oflow HIV competence among primary care staff were cited regularly as reasons why PLHA havebeen using DHB (and some NGO) HIV services as an alternative to primary health care. In somespecific areas, such as management of treatment adherence, PLHA rarely if ever consultprimary care staff.9. Insufficiency of mental health and social work services: PLHA repeatedly stated that NZAF andSH counselling support was all that was available, and that this was usually short‐term. DHBpsychiatric and psychological support and primary care‐facilitated assistance was too difficultto get unless people were ‘suicidal or violent’ or there were particular arrangements in placethrough NZAF contacts. PLHA noted that dual diagnoses and pre‐existing conditions requiremore mental health intervention than is currently available.10. The need for targeted and continual prevention education across society: Typical commentsincluded the following: ‘Safe sex is accepted but not practiced.’ ‘Current approaches aresimply missing the target – there is so much unsafe sex in sex on site venues.’ ‘People forgeteveryone has a past.’REVIEW OF SERVICES FOR PLHA 39