Homerton is one of England's busiest HIV centres, providing support and treatment for 550 people living with HIV. We have seen an 80% increase in numbers since 2001.

We are unlike many other centres, in that over half of the people we work with are young women, who we support not just with their HIV treatment but through pregnancy and the birth of their children. In addition, many of our patients have settled from other nations, with approximately three-quarters being first-generation Africans. In total, people from 55 different nationalities have used our service.

With increasing life expectancy, as a result of the drugs available, HIV has become a chronic illness that requires the input of a highly sophisticated team of health and welfare specialists. Patients with HIV who do not seek treatment will only live for approximately 10 years, however those who are treated have a life expectancy of 30-35 years. Despite this longer life expectancy, people do continue to present late often with advanced HIV disease.

At Homerton, we have a multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment and support we provide to patients. As well as offering a dedicated team of specialists based within the centre, we also have a number of other departments that can provide specialist HIV care, in particular our obstetricians and midwives.

Our HIV antenatal service sees women coming through the crisis of a new diagnosis - to greater hope, once they feel supported and their baby is negative.

Since 1998, HIV testing has been offered to all women in their antenatal period at Homerton and the most recent figures reveal an uptake of 85-90%. We currently see 40-50 HIV pregnant women a year. We have only had three HIV positive babies. We do a lot of work around disclosure, and subsequently many partners and children get tested through this service.

For further information please email
jane.anderson@homerton.nhs.uk or
tonya.chalker@homerton.nhs.uk