News

Discover how HIV Informed helps health and social care workers deliver informed, stigma-free care for people living with HIV.

This Volunteer Week, we're celebrating the dedicated volunteers whose passion, expertise and commitment help make our work possible. Today, we're spotlighting Lesley, one of Waverley Care's trustees.

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Waverley Care spoke with Senior Peer Support Coordinator Iain Johnston about overcoming isolation and stigma, the importance of connection after an HIV diagnosis and why no one should have to face HIV alone.

Scotland is often praised for having some of the best HIV health outcomes in the world. Yet, for many people living with HIV, accessing mental health support remains a real challenge. People living with HIV in the UK are 63% more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness compared to people without HIV . Likewise, two in five people living with HIV currently have a diagnosis of at least one mental health condition – substantially higher that the population average .

Our Policy and Research Manager, Gabrielle King gave evidence to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee at the Scottish Parliament about HIV stigma and ending new transmission by 2030.

Read the story of Iain Johnston, Volunteer and Peer Support Coordinator at Waverley Care, as he tells about his journey since receiving a late HIV diagnosis 12 years ago.