UK: Government benefits cuts leave thousands of HIV patients struggling to afford basic nutrition

First topic message reminder :



Because HIV suppresses the immune system, it is vital that patients are getting enough nutrition.


ccording to HIV experts, recent welfare reforms by the UK’s Coalition government have left thousands of HIV patients unable to afford the basic food they need to cope with their condition.

In an exclusive report by The Independent on Sunday, it emerged that the situation was now so critical, in some cases doctors were forced to prescribe food supplements to ensure that the patients’ medication would work.

David Asboe, chair of the British HIV Association and a consultant in HIV medicine at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, said: “Before the past three or four years, I never saw people coming in and saying they didn’t have enough money for food. Now I’ve seen several people in my clinic where the fact that they’ve had a decrease in their income, related to benefit changes, means they can’t afford regular food.

“Sometimes I have to prescribe food supplements to help them. If this is one of the unintended consequences of benefit changes, I think it’s very important that it’s looked at.”

He added that because HIV “suppresses the immune system,” nutritional problems posed a serious threat to patients who weren’t getting enough food.

“About 70 to 80 per cent of all treatments for HIV have to be taken with a meal. That’s critical to the success of these treatments, and they have to be taken regularly and on time. Taking [medication] with food optimises the absorption and has an impact on effectiveness. There’s one treatment that has to be taken with a 400-calorie meal; there is evidence that, if you take it on an empty stomach, that compromises the treatment.”

The numbers of patients saying they needed emergence grants from the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) because of benefit cuts jumped by 63 per cent between 2012 and 2013. There was also an overall 15 per cent rise in applications.

Of the 2,179 people given an emergency grant of £250 by THT last year, 919 were on benefits. Just under half of all those given help needed it specifically because they could not afford food.

Figures released in November last year by Public Health England showed HIV infections among gay and bisexual men at a record high.

Pamela Nash MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and Aids, said: “These findings are truly alarming, and hopefully will send shockwaves through Whitehall. I find it deeply saddening that those with HIV in our country are not only having to deal with their condition, but now have the added burden of worrying about their finances.”

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, who is also a member of the HIV parliamentary group, said: “People with HIV often have to deal with a range of physical, emotional and social problems. It’s absolutely wrong that, on top of that, so many are also being forced into poverty by the coalition’s heartless austerity agenda.”

THT’s chief executive Paul Ward added: “What we’ve seen is that progressively more people have had their cases reviewed and, as a consequence, are no longer entitled to benefits at all. For many people with HIV, this isn’t a question of not having enough money to go to the cinema or buy some clothes. It means they have not got enough money to eat properly. For those who are very unwell, it means they struggle to make appointments simply because they don’t have money for the bus fare.

“The numbers in this report should act as a warning sign at all levels of government that people with HIV are not receiving the level of support needed to meet the most basic of costs. In an age when highly effective treatments mean that people with HIV can live long and healthy lives, it is nothing short of a disgrace that HIV and poverty should still so often go hand in hand.”

Earlier this month, THT said an extra 250,000 HIV tests a year could slash new infection rates.

Last month, in an exclusive interview with PinkNews.co.uk at a THT reception, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the time had come for the UK’s political leaders to redouble their efforts in tackling the HIV epidemic among gay and bisexual men.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/02/23/uk-government-cuts-sickness-benefits-condemned-truly-alarming-thousands-hiv-patients-go-hungry/

This government is killing people.
    

Raggamuffin wrote:

sphinx wrote:

Yes the Lodger works.

Yes I am on key meters.

I am not suggesting figures for a one bed flat - I am giving you the figures for my house because you accused me of pulling figures out of the air.

It was actually me who was pulling figures out of the air, but I did say I was guessing, and others were free to contradict me if they wanted to.

Are you voting UKIP at the next election Rags, or are you more of a Tory?

I'm voting Labour, just interested to hear, and that is all!  ::D:: 

Joy Division wrote:..just a little bit order in here please!,i can say this on this thread   ::D:: 

Well now you have said it JD, I'm going to bed. I'm afraid my patience level is very low, so best I take myself off!

Catman wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

It was actually me who was pulling figures out of the air, but I did say I was guessing, and others were free to contradict me if they wanted to.

Are you voting UKIP at the next election Rags, or are you more of a Tory?

I'm voting Labour, just interested to hear, and that is all!  ::D:: 

I never vote Tory. I disapprove strongly of hunting with dogs, and I suspect they would make it legal again. I don't know who to vote for tbh - I'm not that keen on any of them. UKIP? Hmmmm, I like Nigel Farage and he makes me laugh, but that's not really a good reason to vote for them.   

Hey Rags!

How's the pub trade going in Devon, it's a very nice part of this country, are you a barmaid? (that's a very good job, but only if you have a partner to support you, that runs the place)

 

Catman wrote:Hey Rags!

How's the pub trade going in Devon, it's a very nice part of this country, are you a barmaid? (that's a very good job, but only if you have a partner to support you, that runs the place)

 

I'm not a barmaid. I tried that once when I was very young, and I didn't really take to it ...

Raggamuffin wrote:

Catman wrote:

Are you voting UKIP at the next election Rags, or are you more of a Tory?

I'm voting Labour, just interested to hear, and that is all!  ::D:: 

I never vote Tory. I disapprove strongly of hunting with dogs, and I suspect they would make it legal again. I don't know who to vote for tbh - I'm not that keen on any of them. UKIP? Hmmmm, I like Nigel Farage and he makes me laugh, but that's not really a good reason to vote for them.   

Which means that you are intending to!   

Are you against VAT tax fraud?

Catman wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I never vote Tory. I disapprove strongly of hunting with dogs, and I suspect they would make it legal again. I don't know who to vote for tbh - I'm not that keen on any of them. UKIP? Hmmmm, I like Nigel Farage and he makes me laugh, but that's not really a good reason to vote for them.   

Which means that you are intending to!   

Are you against VAT tax fraud?

Have you been on the vodka again?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Catman wrote:Hey Rags!

How's the pub trade going in Devon, it's a very nice part of this country, are you a barmaid? (that's a very good job, but only if you have a partner to support you, that runs the place)

 

I'm not a barmaid. I tried that once when I was very young, and I didn't really take to it ...

Same here!

I kept undercharging people, when i was seventeen!

....Used to get a bit flustered!

Raggamuffin wrote:

Catman wrote:


Which means that you are intending to!   

Are you against VAT tax fraud?

Have you been on the vodka again?

...On occasion.
You don't know anyone, like your partner, that was convicted of a multi million pound offense then?

Catman wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Have you been on the vodka again?

...On occasion.
You don't know anyone, like your partner, that was convicted of a multi million pound offense then?

Does this have any relevance to people with HIV at all?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Catman wrote:

...On occasion.
You don't know anyone, like your partner, that was convicted of a multi million pound offense then?

Does this have any relevance to people with HIV at all?

Nope.

I concur, and apologize to the speaker of the house!   

Sassy wrote:Sphinx, I gave you a list of the foods required by people with compromised immune systems.   Working that for a man they need 2000 calories a day roughly of that food, with hopefully a range of that food every day and a balance of it over the week, I am sure you can work it out.

And with the diet you came up with, you haven't been living, you have been existing and making yourself deficient in vitamins and minerals so that you end up more ill than you are at the moment, that's nothing to give yourself a pat on the back about.   It's certainly not a reason to cross question Phil about Doug's benefits etc.   And many HIV patients are being taking off health related benefits and being put on work related benefits, even those who have been sick for a long time and have very nasty symptoms.

It probably makes a difference that I have actually experience existing sassy and this aint it. This is the lap of luxury (I did not say I ate that diet incidently - I said I could provide for 4 on £40 a week and would have a go off the top of my head at doing 1 on £10)

I was not quizzing phil on dougs benefits - I was commenting on HIV sufferers in general and asking what money they had lost - which still has not been answered.

What seems to be the point is that some people with HIV who were previously on incapacity are now being put in the WRAG.

Yes I know sick a long time. Yes I know nasty symptoms. However I personally do not accept "never going to get better" and I happen to agree that even someone sick along time with nasty symptoms can feel better in themselves given the opportunity to do something. I mean half a day a week for 6 weeks on a course with a certificate or something at the end can make people feel they have achieved something. I have seen my local job centre sort out transport, childcare, and someone for support on someone previously housebound - no it did not get him a job or even close to a job but it did get him feeling better and happier simply because he was out talking to people and at the end of it could look on the internet for things.

A lot of the ESA things can be approached one of 2 ways - they can be approached as horrible obstacles put there to make it difficult for people to get benefits money or they can be approached as OK I didnt plan, want or intend this but its here I dont have a choice so lets get the most out of it. Like it or not incapacity benefit did dump sick and disabled people on the scrapheap - and not everyone liked that.

sphinx wrote:

Sassy wrote:Sphinx, I gave you a list of the foods required by people with compromised immune systems.   Working that for a man they need 2000 calories a day roughly of that food, with hopefully a range of that food every day and a balance of it over the week, I am sure you can work it out.

And with the diet you came up with, you haven't been living, you have been existing and making yourself deficient in vitamins and minerals so that you end up more ill than you are at the moment, that's nothing to give yourself a pat on the back about.   It's certainly not a reason to cross question Phil about Doug's benefits etc.   And many HIV patients are being taking off health related benefits and being put on work related benefits, even those who have been sick for a long time and have very nasty symptoms.

It probably makes a difference that I have actually experience existing sassy and this aint it.  This is the lap of luxury (I did not say I ate that diet incidently - I said I could provide for 4 on £40 a week and would have a go off the top of my head at doing 1 on £10)

I was not quizzing phil on dougs benefits - I was commenting on HIV sufferers in general and asking what money they had lost - which still has not been answered.

What seems to be the point is that some people with HIV who were previously on incapacity are now being put in the WRAG.  

Yes I know sick a long time.  Yes I know nasty symptoms.  However I personally do not accept "never going to get better" and I happen to agree that even someone sick along time with nasty symptoms can feel better in themselves given the opportunity to do something.  I mean half a day a week for 6 weeks on a course with a certificate or something at the end can make people feel they have achieved something.  I have seen my local job centre sort out transport, childcare, and someone for support on someone previously housebound - no it did not get him a job or even close to a job but it did get him feeling better and happier simply because he was out talking to people and at the end of it could look on the internet for things.

A lot of the ESA things can be approached one of 2 ways - they can be approached as horrible obstacles put there to make it difficult for people to get benefits money or they can be approached as OK I didnt plan, want or intend this but its here I dont have a choice so lets get the most out of it.  Like it or not incapacity benefit did dump sick and disabled people on the scrapheap - and not everyone liked that.

That is a complete lie!
That doesn't exist at all!.