London Assembly Health Committee visit King’s HIV service

12 February 2025 - The committee visited the Caldecot Centre to support their current work on HIV in London

King’s College Hospital welcomed members of the London Assembly’s Health Committee to visit the Trust’s HIV service on Thursday 6 February.

Members met with a range of staff from the team, were given a tour of the service, and had the opportunity to speak to service users about their experiences of living with HIV and receiving care from King’s. The visit was part of the committee’s current investigation into HIV in London.

A key focus of the visit was on the pioneering work the team does to connect with people who have stopped receiving care and bringing them back into the service. This re-engagement work has been very successful and has supported hundreds of people who may otherwise have become seriously unwell to get the care they need and lead normal lives.

Dr Kate Childs, Consultant Physician, Clinical Lead for HIV Medicine who led the visit said: “We were delighted to host the Committee and highlight the work we do. People living with HIV losing contact with NHS services and stopping treatment is a major issue and causes more cases of serious illness than new HIV transmissions do in our patient population.

“There are many reasons why people living with HIV can become disengaged and reluctant to get help. This often includes a range of social issues from housing, employment and carer status, drug and alcohol misuse, to fear of stigma. Not attending for HIV care can lead to harmful effects, illness and even be fatal. Our team works hard to reconnect with those that have not attended for a significant period. We offer a holistic service that not only delivers medical treatment but also provides help with overcoming challenges which may be a barrier to accessing care, such as through our welfare and peer support offering. We do this to try and reach zero new HIV infections and zero HIV-related deaths by 2030, but on an individual level we allow our patients to reach good health, achieve what is important to them and fulfil their life roles.”

Chair of the London Assembly Health Committee, Krupesh Hirani AM said: “London Assembly Health Committee Members were immensely impressed during their visit to King’s College Hospital. The Committee has been investigating HIV in London since late 2024, and hearing from Dr Kate Childs and her colleagues about the importance of reengagement work was incredibly enlightening.

“Getting a firsthand view of the HIV services at the Caldecot Centre helped Members to understand the importance of the centre’s work. Everyone involved was truly dedicated and it was particularly special to speak to some of the patients receiving their help.

“Ensuring those lost to follow-up are back on track is an important lesson and we look forward to engaging with many of you again when the investigation report is published soon.”