St George’s staff mark World Aids Day
St George’s Hospital staff marked World AIDS Day on Monday 1 December by raising both public AIDS awareness and funds for HIV patients.
It is estimated that six out of every 1,000 of Wandsworth residents aged between 15 and 59 have HIV, but a third of those have not been diagnosed. Staff from the Courtyard Clinic, St George’s onsite Genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) service, held events at the hospital in Tooting and at Wimbledon Station.
At St George’s members of the public were given facts and advice about AIDS and HIV testing by staff manning an information display in the entrance of Atkinson Morley Wing.
In addition commuters in Wimbledon were encouraged to wear a red ribbon, the symbol of World AIDS Day. Any donations received will be used by the Courtyard Clinic for the benefit of its HIV patients. An awareness raising event was also held for staff. This is the 10th year that Courtyard clinic staff, coordinated by Health Advisor Paul Brewer, have marked World Aids Day.
Senior Health Advisor Wendy Majewska said: “Early diagnosis of HIV is key to preventing the spread of infection but it also increases our chances of being able to manage this serious chronic condition in individual patients.
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offers HIV testing every day, Monday to Friday, at both of its sexual health clinics – Courtyard Clinic, St George’s Hospital and Roehampton Clinic, Queen Mary’s Hospital. Both clinics have walk-in services and most patients can be seen on the same day and all patients are guaranteed to be seen within 48 hours. For further information on clinic opening hours, please see The Courtyard Clinic or www.roehamptonclinic.nhs.uk
Notes to editors
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