Letters: HIV prevention

While new treatments for HIV are highly effective (Report, 29 November), it is far better for the individuals affected, and far cheaper for the NHS, to prevent new infections. But government contributions to preventing HIV infections are under threat. As the biggest volunteer-led LGBT charity in the UK, for nearly 40 years – for many of those years, with no government support and in the teeth of hostility – we have been proving that the LGBT community can help itself: our volunteers provide support to more than 20,000 people every year and we bring up safer sex in every call, where appropriate, and provide information to thousands each year on HIV testing. And it's cheap: because we are volunteers, our costs are small, at about £3.50 a call. Treating someone living with HIV costs the NHS more than £20,000 a year – so if even just three men out of the tens of thousands who call us take up our safer sex message, we have not only improved people's lives but saved the NHS money. We hope that the Department of Health will look at these shocking figures on new HIV infections, and make the right decision – to fund more HIV prevention work.
Joe Lee
London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard