It’s time to have your say – Positive Voices 2022 blog

Our first blog from one of our Scientists at UKHSA sheds some light on the study.

March 25, 2022

It’s time to have your say! The second round of the Positive Voices survey is kicking off on April 11th. If you are selected to take part, please consider completing the survey. Sharing your experiences can improve services.

What is Positive Voices?

Positive Voices is a national survey of adults receiving HIV care in the UK. The first round of the survey took place in 2017. The survey explores the needs of people living with HIV and whether these are being met.

It covers a range of topics including HIV care, physical and mental health conditions, stigma and discrimination, and sex and relationships. The 2022 survey also covers the impact of COVID.

In 2017, over 4000 people responded, and we are hoping for over 6000 responses for 2022.

How can I be involved?

There are two things that need to happen in order for you to take part:

  1. Your HIV clinic must be signed up to take part in Positive Voices. Over 100 clinics have signed up to take part in 2022.
  2. You must be pre-selected by the HIV team at UKHSA to take part. This selection is random and allows us to ensure that we are reaching a wide range of people living with HIV.

If you have been selected to take part, your clinic will discuss this with you- most likely at your next appointment but they may be in touch sooner. They will provide you with information on taking part and the survey materials.

We would love to be able to survey everyone living with HIV but unfortunately, that’s not possible. The way we select people, means that the survey should represent the whole population of people living with HIV in the UK.

Why should I complete the survey?

The data collected from the survey helps to feed into service delivery and design, so your involvement is crucial in ensuring that your experiences and needs feed into this.

The 2017 survey found that there was high satisfaction with HIV clinical services. However, people living with HIV reported issues around mental health, stigma and discrimination, and it was found that the greatest unmet need was isolation and loneliness.

These findings have been used to add to the evidence base and inform national policy, as well as having an impact at local, regional and community levels.

Sounds pretty good right? Well, on top of that, everyone selected to take part will receive a £5 voucher which can be used at a number of high street shops. You will receive this whether you decide to complete the survey or not, it’s simply a thank you for your consideration.

Participating clinics can be found here.