Free HIV testing in Aylesbury

As World AIDS Day approaches, Buckinghamshire Integrated Sexual Health Service (bSHaW) is encouraging people to get tested so that they know their HIV status.

On 1^st December 2023, bSHaW will be providing free and confidential rapid HIV testing at Unit 33 (Health on the High Street), Friars Square Shopping Centre in Aylesbury. Health on the High Street also offers arrange of different health services including blood pressure checks.  

This event aims to normalise conversations about HIV and encourage residents to prioritise their sexual health. Thanks to medical advances over the last thirty years, HIV has become a treatable, long-term condition. People living with HIV can enjoy a normal, healthy life on successful treatment, with a long life expectancy and zero risk of passing the virus on to sexual partners. However, incomplete knowledge and understanding of the condition can still create a barrier to people seeking the support they need.   

By providing free testing at Friars Square shopping centre, bSHaW aims to help to destigmatise HIV testing, and encourage the public to view it as a routine health check. Free and confidential HIV testing is also available by appointment or at walk-in clinics at Brookside Aylesbury and SHAW High Wycombe and through an online testing service.  

Dr Angela Bailey from bSHaW said: "Testing regularly for HIV is one of the actions we can take to ensure we stay healthy and look after our partners. Early detection of the virus allows people with HIV to start treatment quickly and ensure they stay well. Testing negative for HIV is an opportunity to discuss how to stay negative. PrEP, a medication that protects against HIV is a really good option for some people." 

As part of the call to "know your status", sexual health and wellbeing charity Brook is hosting a World AIDS Day event at Buckinghamshire New University. This event will feature Brook specialists distributing free condoms and providing information and advice on HIV prevention, testing and treatment. Becci Shutt, Head of Education at Brook: "Education is key to breaking the stigma surrounding HIV. By providing accurate information and fostering open conversations, we empower people to make informed choices about their sexual health. Brook is proud to be part of bSHaW and to be supporting initiatives to transform people's understanding of HIV." 

World AIDS Day coincides with PrEP Awareness Week (27 November - 3 December) emphasising the significance of both HIV prevention and early detection. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medicine taken before sex by some people to protect themselves from HIV. bSHaW encourages those interested in learning more about PrEP to book appointments or visit walk-in clinics at both Brookside Aylesbury and SHAW High Wycombe. 

Angela Macpherson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Buckinghamshire Council said:  

"World AIDS Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness of AIDS and HIV in our local communities, helping to bust myths and reduce stigmas. We want to promote a culture free from discrimination where people living with HIV and AIDS are supported and treated with compassion and understanding. People can live healthy and long lives with HIV as long as it is managed properly to prevent the onset of AIDS. World AIDS Day also helps us to promote the importance of testing and early detection which can make all the difference in helping people to best manage their illness."