Spring
2017
Issue 54
PHE
North West
Cumbria
&
Graduation
Success
Armenia
Sexually transmitted
Lancashire
Nathan Gardner, Julie-Ann Hayes
American University of
New Update
and Olivia Howland
infections
in MSM in
Armenia
NW
Many Hands
IMS
One Heart
Smokerlyser
Distribution
New Support Network
Project
Available online at: www.phi.org.uk/expertise/sexual-health/
NewsIn Focus
Project
LatestServices
News &
Maternity
Events
Needs
Assessment
Contents
2 Foreword
3 Cumbria & Lancashire Sexual Health Providers & Commissioners Network
4 Many Hands One Heart: Liverpool Asylum and Refugee LGBT Support Network
7 The English HIV & Sexual Health Commissioning Group
7 Nursing People with HIV/AIDS, 1981-1996 (Study)
8 Sahir House - Good news story
9 News & Events
Foreword
Welcome to the spring edition of the North West Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin. In this issue
Shelley Mullarkey-Matthews, Blackpool Service Manager tells us about the achievements of
Renaissance at Drugline Lancashire and their work among the LGBT community.
Jennifer New, a PhD Student at the University of Liverpool, gives us a very informative insight into
her research which lead to the ‘Many Hands One Heart: Liverpool Asylum and Refugee LGBT
Support Network’ being established.
There are details about a study entitled ‘Nursing People with HIV/AIDS, 1981-1996’ and we
highlight the good news that Sahir House are one of ten winners of the 2017 GSK IMPACT
Awards.
Please enjoy the latest edition of the bulletin.
Ann Lincoln
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
2
Cumbria & Lancashire Sexual Health
Providers & Commissioners Update
by Shelley Mullarkey-Matthews / Blackpool Service Manager
Renaissance Lancashire
Renaissance at Drugline
Lancashire is very proud to
announce it has achieved the
Lancashire LGBT charter mark
- formally Navajo. The selfassessment tool was completed
and the service had some minor
changes to make to two
organisational policies. The
process was very easy to follow
and, as the service had formally
achieved Navajo and has a very
diverse and inclusive work
environment, little work was
needed. We would recommend
the process to all of our partners.
Lancashire LGBT were very
supportive throughout the
assessment process.
“Everyone should be free from
community and their allies.
the discrimination and stigma
associated with Lesbian &
Bisexual identities when
accessing Health Care Services
”
There is still time to vote for one
of our LGB&T Development leads
Anthony West who has been
nominated for the positive role
model award LGB&T sector at the
national diversity awards 2017
https://nominate.
nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/
Content/uploads/30612.jpg
“You don’t have to identify
as LGB or T* to be an ally ”
Launching on the 4th of April at
102 Dickson Road 6pm until 8pm,
the group will run on the 1st and
3rd Tuesday of each month and
will offer not only a safe space for
LGB&T Community members and
their supporters to meet and
relax, but will also be looking into
health and well-being events,
community events and social
activities.
Blackpool Allies is a new Social
Group developed by the LGB&T
Community for the LGB&T
Blackpool Allies is a
new Social Group
developed by the
LGB&T Community for
the LGB&T community
and their allies.
LGB and T community
development leads Anthony West
and Leah Emerson attended The
National LGB&T Partnership,
Sharing the Love seminar on 8th
March 2017. As a result we were
able to support National Lesbian
& Bisexual Women’s Health Week
13th - 17th March 2017
#LBWomensHealth17
We lead an online social media
campaign to raise awareness of
the week; posting photos and
messages on Facebook and
Twitter all week. This is important
because...
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
3
Many Hands One Heart: Liverpool
Asylum and Refugee LGBT Support
Network Update
by Jennifer New / PhD Researcher, University of Liverpool
Introduction
My name is Jennifer New and I
am a third year PhD Student at
the University of Liverpool in the
department of Sociology, Social
Policy and Criminology and a
volunteer of Sahir House,
Merseyside’s HIV, information
and support centre. I am
currently researching the
experiences and needs of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans
(LGBT) people seeking asylum
and refugees in Liverpool. This is
a collaborative research project
with Sahir House. A core part of
this research has been working
with key stakeholders in Liverpool
to establish a network for this
particular client group. In March
2016, Sahir House, Mersey Care
NHS Foundation Trust, The
Armistead Centre, Liverpool
Community Development
Services and Queer Notions held
a launch event, supported and
attended by the Manchester
Lesbian Immigration Support
Group, to bring LGBT people
together to talk about their
experiences and needs. It is from
this launch event that Many
Hands One Heart: Liverpool
Asylum and Refugee LGBT
Support Network (MHOH) was
established with five founding
members. Our Network provides
a safe, supportive and
confidential meeting space once
every fortnight. The group
receive information; gain advice
and support from professionals;
services; volunteers and each
other. Since our launch in March
2016, MOHO has supported 30
individuals, including our 22
current members.
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
LGBT Asylum and
Refugee Research Project
In 2013, Sahir House’s Diversity
Coordinator identified a need for
research into the experiences of
LGBT people seeking asylum and
refugees in Liverpool, after
providing direct support work to a
trans service user who was
seeking asylum in the UK. During
this support work, significant
issues faced by this individual
were identified, particularly
regarding the UK asylum process
and the lack of support and
service provision by both asylum
and LGBT services at the time.
As no research around these
issues had been carried out
before in Liverpool, Sahir House
developed a project (supported
by the charity Interchange, based
at the University of Liverpool) to
identify key areas of need, and
develop links between HIV, LGBT,
asylum services and wider
mainstream services.
As an Interchange student, I
was selected to carry out this
research project for my
Master’s Degree in 2014. My
research focused on lesbian,
gay, bisexual trans or intersex
people seeking asylum and
refugees, some of whom may
also live with HIV, living in
Liverpool. Several significant
issues and barriers were
identified for this group related
to seeking asylum in the UK
and accessing services.
In particular, my research
identified personal, social and
structural barriers that could
restrict individuals within this
client group from sharing their
identities and experiences with
other people in Liverpool. This
in turn was found to directly
impact on their ability to access
and receive support from
relevant services in Liverpool.
My Master’s recommended that
a safe, supportive and
confidential group should be
established in Liverpool to
enable this particular client
group to join together and
receive specialist support.
PhD Research Project
My involvement in this project
continued into PhD research,
funded by the Economic and
Social Research Council’s North
West Doctoral Teaching Centre
(NWDTC). My PhD research is
currently exploring how LGBT
people seeking asylum and
refugees share their identities
and experiences with other
people, (i.e. their family, friends,
communities, other LGBT people,
professionals in support services,
legal representatives, Home
Office officials, etc.) the
restrictions that inhibit them from
doing so and the impact that
sharing may have on their lives
and asylum claim. This research
is supported by Sahir House’s
LGBT & HIV Asylum Advisory
Group which consists of
stakeholders and representatives
from a range of organisations,
support services, universities and
legal professionals who are
dedicated to improving support
for this particular client group in
Liverpool.
4
Many Hands One Heart
Continued
Many Hands One Heart
In March 2016, Sahir House in
partnership with Mersey Care
NHS Foundation Trust, The
Armistead Centre, Liverpool
Community Development
Services and Queer Notions
hosted a launch event to bring
together LGBT people seeking
asylum and refugees to talk about
their experiences and needs.
This event was attended by five
people seeking asylum who
identified as within the LGBT
community. These individuals
raised a number of concerns
about their experiences,
particularly in relation: to the
prevalence of homophobia in their
asylum and refugee communities;
accessing adequate legal advice
and representation; accessing
support services in Liverpool;
their isolation in Liverpool, and
the severe detrimental impact that
the UK asylum process had on
their mental health.
As a result of this launch event,
MHOH was established and now
meets once per fortnight in
Liverpool City Centre. In my role
as a volunteer of Sahir House, I
assist the facilitation of support
network meetings alongside
representatives of Sahir House,
Liverpool Community
Development Services and The
Armistead Centre. Since its
establishment with five members,
Many Hands One Heart has
grown to have 22 regular
members and has supported 30
people. Members come from a
wide range of countries that
criminalise homophobia, including
Uganda, Nigeria, Iran, Cameroon
and Zimbabwe.
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
MHOH group meetings
act as a source of
knowledge regarding
experience and need.
As a collective group,
members work together
to identify their own
support needs and work
with the group members
and facilitators to
address them.
How do LGBT people seeking
asylum and refugees benefit
from joining MHOH?
Our members are encouraged to
lead on the development of the
support network which so far has
included: creating their name and
logo; developing our
confidentiality policy; agreeing on
meeting agendas and relevant
training; representing the group at
various external events (including
Liverpool Pride and Manchester
Pride), and arranging our
professional launch event (which
took place in July 2016) and
annual celebration (which took
place in March 2017).
•
In particular, MHOH group
meetings act as a vital source of
knowledge regarding individual
and collective experience and
need in relation to LGBT asylum
and refugee communities. As a
collective group, members work
together to identify their own
needs and work with the group
members and facilitators to
address them. For example, in
response to group discussions,
facilitators arranged information
and training sessions regarding:
Hate Crime, mental health
awareness, submitting genderbased asylum claims and further
submissions, and Home Office
Policy in regards to sexual
orientation asylum claims.
We support our members by
providing a safe, welcoming,
non-judgemental and confidential
space for them to share their
experiences or problems and
hear from others. Our members
have told us they have benefitted
from:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increased knowledge about
UK Asylum Law
Increased knowledge about
their rights in the UK
Meeting other LGBT people
seeking asylum and refugees
Meeting people from other
LGBT communities
Referrals to other relevant
services or organisations
Taking part in workshops
from external professionals
and services including legal
professionals who specialise
in asylum claims based on
sexual orientation and gender
identity
Improved self confidence in
talking about their identity
and asylum claim which has
particularly helped members
in their discussions in court,
during their asylum interviews
and with their legal
representatives and
professionals in support
services in Liverpool
Increased knowledge of
mental health services and
support
Information about social
activities they could attend in
Liverpool
Access to volunteering
opportunities
5
Many Hands One Heart
Continued
Significant issues identified
during MHOH meetings:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The importance and need for
safe and confidential spaces
in Liverpool
Bullying and discrimination
experienced in shared asylum
accommodation and other
refugee spaces
Fear of police and other
authority figures
How to recognise and report
hate incidents and hate
crimes
The difficulty in gathering
evidence to support their
asylum claim
How the UK asylum process
impacts on our member’s
mental health
How Home Office
representatives treat LGBT
people seeking asylum
Difficulties accessing
adequate legal
representatives in Liverpool
Experiencing severe isolation
in Liverpool
Needing to build selfconfidence
The need to change attitudes
towards LGBT people
Building our network
As a Support Network Throughout 2016, MHOH has
continued to build as a support
network. In 2017, we hope to build
on this success to reach and
support more LGBT people
seeking asylum and refugees in
Liverpool and the surrounding
areas.
As an Organisation – In 2017, we
hope to build on our already
established partnership work,
form new partnerships and
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
engage with more professionals,
services and organisations. We
aim to work together to meet the
needs of LGBT people seeking
asylum and refugees in Liverpool
and the surrounding areas. In the
last 12 months, Many Hands One
Heart has had very limited
funding which has restricted the
support that we have been able to
provide. Therefore, in 2017 we
are hoping to gain funding that
will allow us to give more support
to our members.
In March 2017, Many
Hands One Heart
marked its one year
anniversary with a
celebration.
As stakeholders – In 2017, we will
expand our LGBT and HIV
Asylum Advisory Group to include
more core stakeholders and
representatives of organisations
who are interested in improving
support provision. If you or your
organisation would like to be
represented in this advisory
group, please let us know using
the contact details below.
References
New, J, (2015) Seeking Support
in Liverpool: Issues and barriers
for asylum seekers and refugees
who are lesbian, gay, bisexual,
trans or intersex, HIV Nursing,
Vol.15 (3), pp.66-75.
1
For more information about Many
Hands One Heart, to refer an
individual to us, or to be added to
our mailing list, please contact:
manyhandsoneheart@sahir.
uk.com
Follow us
@LiverpoolMHOH
For more information about the
PhD research project please
contact Jennifer New:
[email protected]
tion
lebra
e
C
h
Marc
To Celebrate – In March 2017,
Many Hands One Heart marked
its one year anniversary with a
celebration for its members. Later
in the year, MHOH hope to hold
an event for members,
professionals and stakeholders to
reflect on what the group
achieved in its first year and the
challenges that are still to come
in our second year. This event will
be an opportunity to raise
awareness of MHOH, build our
networks and potentially provide
training on LGBT asylum and
refugee issues.
6
The English HIV & Sexual Health
Commissioners Group (EHSHCG)
by The EHSHCG Secretariat (National AIDS Trust)
The English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioning Group (EHSHCG) recently held elections for
three new representatives for the Executive Committee, to increase the number of Local Authority
representatives and the EHSHCG input into external projects and events. Elections were held for
three new local authority representatives (one for each of the following NHS areas; London, South of
England, Midlands & East). We are delighted to introduce our new Executive Committee members,
Susan Otiti, Stephen Jones and Lesley Talbot respectively. The next national EHSHCG group
meeting will take place at The Lift, Islington on Monday 15th May.
Nursing People with HIV/AIDS,
1981-1996 a Wellcome Trust funded
study
Dr Tommy Dickinson / Senior Lecturer in Mental Health
The Study
I am a nurse and historian within
the Florence Nightingale Faculty
of Nursing and Midwifery at
King’s College London. I am
currently working on a Wellcome
Trust funded study entitled
Nursing People with HIV/AIDS,
1981-1996.
The project begins in 1981, with
the first reported AIDS case in
the UK, and continues until 1996,
when the evidence base for
antiviral medication became
explicit, shifting HIV/AIDS from a
terminal illness to a manageable
chronic disease. Whilst there
have been histories written about
HIV/AIDS, there has been almost
nothing on the actual nursing
work that was done caring for
these people. Therefore, my
study aims to explore the nursing
care that people with HIV/AIDS
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
received, from the perspective of
nurses, patients who received
this care and their loved ones.
Whilst there have been
histories written about
HIV/AIDS, there has
been almost nothing on
the actual nursing work
that was done caring for
these people.
approved by the King’s College
London’s Committee on the
Ethics of Research on Human
Beings. This is an independent
group of people from the King’s
College London and exists to
protect research participants’
safety, rights, wellbeing and
dignity.
For further information about the
study please email me at:
[email protected]
I am hoping to find people who
would be willing to speak to me
about:
a. The nursing care they
received following a HIV
diagnosis between 1981-1996 or
b. The nursing care a loved one
who died from HIV/AIDS received
between 1981-1996
The study has been reviewed and
7
Sahir House - One of 10 Winners
of the 2017 GSK Impact Awards
Congratulations
We are very pleased to announce
that Sahir House has beaten
more than 400 organisations from
all over the UK to be one of the
10 winners of the 2017 GSK
IMPACT Awards, a national
award that recognises excellence
in charities improving health and
wellbeing in their communities.
The charity will receive £30,000
in funding as part of its prize, as
well as expert support and
development from The King’s
Fund.
Tommy McIlravey, Chief
Executive of Sahir House, said:
‘Winning a GSK IMPACT Award
is a massive accolade for
everyone involved in Sahir
House. This award programme is
unique in recognising the work of
smaller charities having a large
impact on community health and
wellbeing.’
‘We couldn’t achieve all that we
do without our dedicated
volunteers, supporters, and staff
– this is such a wonderful boost
to all of them.’
Lisa Weaks, Head of Third Sector
at The King’s Fund, said: ‘Sahir
House is a dynamic charity that
shapes its services around the
changing needs of people living
with HIV in Merseyside. Through
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
its innovative projects and
commitment to reaching the
people that most need its
support, it moves into spaces
where no one else is working.
Sahir House will receive
its prize at a ceremony
held at the Science
Museum in London on
Thursday 18 May, along
with nine other GSK
IMPACT Award winners.
Sahir House does fantastic work
in raising awareness of HIV
issues and improving public
understanding of the condition
This is so important both for
combatting stigma and for helping
to reduce HIV transmission.’
The charity has shown how it
successfully adapts its approach
so that it keeps meeting the
changing health and wellbeing
needs of people living with HIV.
Following concerns expressed by
older people living with HIV that
they may encounter
discrimination if they moved into a
care home, Sahir House
developed a specialist training
course that has been delivered to
staff in 38 residential and nursing
homes.
working successfully with local
BME community groups. It also
provides support to asylum
seekers who are lesbian, gay,
bisexual or transgender – the only
organisation doing this in the
area.
Developing leaders in the charity
sector is an important aim of the
GSK IMPACT Awards
programme, which has now been
running for 20 years, and Sahir
House will have access to training
and leadership development
tailored to its needs. It will also be
invited to join the GSK IMPACT
Awards Network, a national
network of more than 70 awardwinning health and wellbeing
charities working together to
develop their leaders, find new
ways of working and support
others.
Sahir House will receive its prize
at a ceremony held at the
Science Museum in London on
Thursday 18 May, along with nine
other GSK IMPACT Award
winners.
You can read more about the
GSK IMPACT Awards at: http://
uk.gsk.com/en-gb/
responsibility/health-for-all/
Sahir House proactively targets
people from black and minority
ethnic (BME) backgrounds,
8
News and Events
A Qualitative Study HIV is Now a
Manageable
Long-Term Condition,
But What Makes it
Unique?
Pauline Jelliman, Clinical/Operational
service lead, & HIV specialist nurse
at Liverpool Community Health NHS
Trust recently had the above
research study published in Journal
of the Association of Nurses in AIDS
care (JANAC). To read the study
please follow the link below:
Click here
South West Sexual
Health Newsletter
2017
The Spring 2017 newsletter from the
South West Office for Sexual Health
can be accessed below. It can be
found in downloads on the right hand
side of the page. The newsletter can
be read here:
Public Health England
(PHE) Guidance
PHE have recently issued new
guidance around outbreak prevention
of Sexually Transmitted Infections.
The guidance is provided primarily
for Directors of Public Health, GUM
and other sexual health services staff
and sexual health commissioners.
The guidance can be accessed here:
Click here
The Faculty of Sexual
& Reproductive
Healthcare
FSRH have launched a webinar
service for sexual health
professionals. The next webinar will
take place on 16th May 2017 entitled
‘Quick starting contraception’ Further
information can be found here:
Click here
Click here
Terrence Higgins Trust
(THT) Unchartered
Territory: A report into
the first generation
growing older with
HIV
THT have released a report that
explores what it means to grow older
with HIV in the UK. The report seeks
to set out the needs and experiences
of this first generation of people
ageing with HIV and the actions
needed to ensure their needs are
fully addressed. Click here for the full
report:
Click here
NAM’s The basics
series leaflets
NAM have recently updated 22 titles
from its series of leaflets, The basics.
They reflect recent research and
current guidelines. They also provide
a simple introduction to key HIV
treatment and care issues. Follow
the link to view them:
Click here
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
Edited by: Ann Lincoln & Jane Harris
Sexual Health Team
Public Health Institute,
Liverpool John Moores University
Written contributions from:
Shelley Mullarkey-Matthews (Cumbria and Lancashire), Jennifer New (Many
Hands One Heart), The EHSHCG, Tommy Dickinson (Kings College London),
Serena Cavanagh (Sahir House)
Sexual Health Quarterly Bulletin
Public Health Institute,
Faculty of Education,
Health and Community,
Liverpool John Moores University,
Henry Cotton Campus,
15-21 Webster Street,
Liverpool, L3 2ET
www.ljmu.ac.uk/phi
0151 231 4559
[email protected]
twitter.com/phisexualhealth
9
Public Health Institute,
Faculty of Education,
Health and Community,
Liverpool John Moores University,
Henry Cotton Campus,
15-21 Webster Street,
Liverpool, L3 2ET
www.ljmu.ac.uk/phi
0151 231 4559
[email protected]
twitter.com/phisexualhealth