NHS failing Gay and Bisexual Men

The gay rights charity Stonewall has surveyed 6,900 gay and bisexual men in the UK about their experiences with the NHS.  Amongst the concerns raised were:

• That the patient was only interested in HIV or STD testing
• The patient was HIV+
• The patient had had a negative experience
• One third of respondents had never had an HIV Test
• 54% had never discussed HIV with a healthcare professional

Mental health issues can be more acute particularly in young gay or bisexual men, and these are often not looked into seriously by GPs.

Better2Know does not ask for your real name, and certainly does not need to know your sexuality.  There are a number of men who have sex with men who do not necessarily identify themselves as homosexual, and do not want to take advantage of HIV testing tailored to gay and bisexual people as they do not think it applies to them. A lot of money has been spent raising awareness of the importance of early diagnosis to start the right treatment and prevent further transmission. Alongside the point that gay people face so much prejudice in their lives that they are careful of whom they disclose their sexuality to, that we are left with a section of society who are at high risk and won’t test. Helping HIV and STI testing becoming a normal part of your sexual health is key to preventing new infections.