Positively UK co-ordinated a conference of people living with HIV ‘No Decision About Me Without Me’. This year they are convening another conference focusing on ‘Engagement and involvement: personal, political, and clinical’. The content of the conference is yet to be finalised and they would like the assistance of people living with HIV in the UK. They came up with a survey to help them plan the conference. Although the survey is now closed, I hope that many of us living with HIV in the UK will make it to their conference.

Being both engaged and informed in your care, and in the political debate is something about which I am passionate. This is one of the reasons that I am not backwards about coming forwards when talking to politicians up in the Northern Ireland Assembly, local Councillors, and in other political contexts about living with HIV. Being open about it is a big step for many people, but I feel that it one major step towards combatting the stigma and prejudices that exist.

Perhaps I will make it along to Positively UK’s conference myself.