Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing psychological and mental health support as part of the national service specification for HIV services.

The Government is committed to improving the quality of life of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) including young people. Children and young people living with HIV receive care from paediatric services commissioned in line with the Paediatric HIV service specification which includes access to mental health support. We are also in the process of establishing a workforce task and finish group which will explore innovative ways for the workforce to provide better support to people of all ages in care, including mental health support.

As set out in the NHS England roadmap, specialised HIV inpatient and outpatient services have been identified as key areas for greater integrated care systems leadership by NHS England and integrated care boards. This will allow local systems to simplify and strengthen HIV care pathways with other services through effective local partnerships, including psychosocial support and mental health services, for a more holistic approach to care.

As part of the Government’s HIV Action Plan, NHS England are also currently reviewing the national Service Specification for Adult HIV services (2013), which sets out the standards of care that HIV providers are expected to meet, including availability of community, psychological and psychosocial support for patients.