Positively UK Podcast

In this weeks episode we discuss Managing Isolation & Wellbeing Strategies.

The Covid Pandemic and Lockdown has been a difficult time for everyone. Managing our mental health and wellbeing has been a challenge that many have had to adapt to, especially for those who struggle with anxiety and depression. 

Joining our podcast today is Clinical Psychologist Dr. Felicity Saunders, Prepster’s and The Love Tank Strategic Lead Phil Samba and Wellbeing Coach Mina Kakaiya, who are at the forefront of support and guidance for people living with HIV. You can find a full list of resources and support organisations in our show notes below. 

We hope you enjoy the show. 

Dr. Felicity Saunders is a Clinical Psychologist who works within the NHS at The Mortimer Market Centre. She completed her doctorate at University College London (UCL). She has a keen interest in how compassion focussed therapy can support those with sexual wellbeing difficulties and those living with HIV. She has previously experience working within trauma services and uses these skills within her current role, supporting those who have been sexually assaulted or experience stigma in relation to their sexuality or diagnosis of HIV.

Phil Samba is the strategic lead for #PrEP4QueerMenOfColour at Prepster, (The Love Tank) an organisation that educates and agitates for PrEP in England and beyond. He is a social activist, a writer and a researcher with a focus on health inequalities of people of colour. His work primarily focuses on improving the sexual health of queer men of colour, he strives for equality within the intersection of race and sexuality and provides an honest representation of black queer men.

Mina Kakaiya is an author and Transformational Wellbeing Coach, Hypnotherapist and Mindfulness Practitioner. As well as being a HIV Activist, Mina has been involved in a number of HIV campaigns and teaches Emotional-Resilience, Mindfulness and sexual wellbeing.

Resources & Support Organisations

Stonewall - https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/how-covid-19-affecting-lgbt-communities 

LGBT foundation - https://lgbt.foundation/coronavirus/why-lgbt-people-are-disproportionately-impacted-by-coronavirus

Self Compassion: https://youtu.be/-kfUE41-JFw

How to be a friend to yourself: https://youtu.be/wFUxiIjp-Nk-

Connect with other LGBT people through forums and online chat e.g. www.trevorspace.org. Organisations such as LGBT Foundation, Terrence Higgins Trust and Galop are holding number of workshops, events and support sessions via Zoom so you can stay connected

Sexual health

Sexual Health London https://www.shl.uk/

Prepster  https://prepster.info/covid/

Dean Street https://dean.st/chemsex/chemsex-support-during-covid-19-outbreak/

Antidote https://londonfriend.org.uk/antidote-drugs-alcohol/

Change Grow Live https://www.changegrowlive.org/advice-info/alcohol-drugs/chemsex-drugs

GALOP https://www.galop.org.uk/community-links/

London Friend https://londonfriend.org.uk/

Terrance Higgins Trust https://www.tht.org.uk/

LGBT Foundation http://lgbt.foundation/

LGBT Tribe https://support.therapytribe.com/lgbt-support-group/

Outlife https://www.outlife.org.uk/forums

Black Out UK https://blkoutuk.com/

+Pals https://metrocharity.org.uk/hiv/plus-pals-hiv-support-group

Trans Network London http://transnetworklondon.org.uk/

Connect Well https://www.livingwellcic.com/portfolio-item/connect-well/

Positively UK podcasts https://positivelyuk.org/lgbt-podcast/

Hello everyone!

In this weeks episode we discuss issues around welfare and finance.

Following on from our recent Discussion on Welfare & Finance earlier in March, we sat down with Terrence Higgins Trust LivingWell Services Manager Ruth Burns, The Food Chain’s Volunteer & Services Manager Anna Brewster and Positively UK’s Welfare Rights Advisor Rosa Midheksa-Kenea. We put your questions to the panel

The Food Chain - Volunteer & Food Service Manager - Anna Brewster

As Services & Volunteer Manager, Anna oversees the delivery and day-to-day operation of these services. Most people who come to The Food Chain are experiencing complex socioeconomic barriers to living healthy, independent lives. Anna provides directional support for those in hardship; working together to navigate, make sense of and access support services and networks.

Terrence Higgins Trust - Livingwell Services Manager - Ruth Burns

Ruth Burns is the Living Well Services Manager at Terrence Higgins Trust. Ruth started 10 years ago developing the Work Positive program – a development programme for people living with HIV looking to re-enter the workplace, build skills and confidence. Now Ruth manages a collection of LivingWell services to empower people living with HIV to live well at home, with friends and family, and at work.

Positively UK - Welfare Rights Advisor - Rosa Midheksa-Kenea

Rosa Midheksa-Kenea has been working in the fields for 10 years. She has been involved in various organisations and currently works for Positively UK.

Resources & Support Organisations

https://www.tht.org.uk/our-services/online-services/work-and-skills - Terrence Higgins Trust personal development, work and skills programme

https://positivelyuk.org/welfare-rights-advice/ - Positively UK we offer a specialist welfare benefits service for people living with HIV

https://www.foodchain.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/ - The Food Chain deliver meals and groceries, offer cookery and nutrition classes and communal eating opportunities to people living with HIV in London and their dependants.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/ - Advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau on completing your PIP application

https://www.stonewall.org.uk/help-and-advice

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taxes-and-benefits-information-for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-customers-leaflet-pride1 - This leaflet explains the impact of taxes, National Insurance contributions, tax credits and State Pensions for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender customers. 

https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/ a wealth of advice for job seekers and job search ideas

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ for skills assessment, finding a course, exploring career options and speaking to a careers adviser

https://www.futurelearn.com/ for a huge variety of online courses to boost your skills and knowledge

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/ - Turn2us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through our partner organisations.

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en - Free and impartial advice from The Money Advice Service

https://taxaid.org.uk/ - Help with Tax problems if HMRC can’t sort it out

Is HIV a risk factor for severe COVID-19? Do we need to disclose our HIV status when receiving our Covid-19 vaccine?

In this episode our host Chris O’Hanlon talks to the Chair of the British HIV Association Dr Laura Waters about Covid-19 related concerns of people living with HIV.

Dr Waters is a GU/HIV consultant and HIV lead at The Mortimer Market Centre, London. She is Chair of the British HIV Association (BHIVA) and the BHIVA treatment guidelines, and sits on the Board of the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH).

Make sure you check our podcast webpage where we have included a list of additional resources on the topic.

In our second episode we talk about the lockdown effect on people using Chems. Our host Chris O'Hanlon poses questions raised by our service participants to HIV Consultant Dr Mark Pakianathan and Richard Lisle, Lead for the 'Change Grow Live' Fast Tack Cities HIV/Drugs project.

We hope this episode will improve your understanding on interactions between HIV treatment and recreational drugs, and the physiological and psychological effects associated with Chemsex.

As the topic in this episode may bring up difficult feelings and emotions, we have included a list of support resources alongside a full transcript of the episode on the podcast webpage.

Dr Mark Pakianathan is Consultant Physician in Sexual Health & HIV at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London where he leads on gender and sexual minority sexual healthcare. He has had a career spanning 3 decades of experience of managing HIV from the pre-treatment to existing era. 

Richard Lisle has worked in Drug and Alcohol treatment in Greater London and the criminal justice system with different organisations for over 18 years. Over the course of his career, he has worked as a group facilitator, drug worker, manager as well as implementing Chemsex support within services and raising awareness around HIV. 

In our first episode, we talk about what it means to age with HIV.  

Following on from our recent group discussion on ageing and HIV, our host Chris O'Hanlon discusses what it means to grow older with HIV. Joining him in the discussion is HIV Consultant Dr Tristan Barber and Peer Mentor Coordinator Rob Hammond.  

Dr Tristan Barber is a Consultant Physician in HIV Medicine at the Royal Free Hospital. He a British HIV Association (BHIVA) Trustee and Executive Committee member, as well as Chair of the BHIVA Education and Scientific Subcommittee. He has a research background in HIV-related neurocognitive impairment and phase 3 clinical trials, having been awarded his MD by the University of Cambridge in 2019, as well as having recently establish a dedicated frailty service for ageing patients with HIV infection (The SAGE Clinic). He coordinates the educational exchange programme for Justri.org, and is passionate about supporting global HIV educational and research programmes

Rob Hammond is the HIV Peer Mentor Coordinator at the Sussex Beacon, Rob is also a qualified psychotherapist, coach, clinical supervisor, and facilitator.

We hope this episode will give you insight on what it means to age with HIV and address many of the questions you have sent us. Make sure you check out the episode notes on the podcast page, including a list of support resources and organisations where you can get further information.

Resources and Support

British HIV Association - A national advisory body on all aspects of HIV care - www.bhiva.org

Opening Doors London - is the largest UK charity providing support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans queer, non-binary, or gender fluid people over 50 - http://www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk/

Terrence Higgins Trust - A support group for people diagnosed on or before 1996 - https://www.tht.org.uk/our-services/head-office/96-peer-support-group

YMCA Positive Health Programme - The programme is available to anyone living with HIV who would benefit from help with being more active or starting exercise with support and guidance. - http://www.ymcaclub.co.uk/aboutus/hiv-positive-health

Metro - A social group for LGBT people aged 50 or over in Woolwich -https://metrocharity.org.uk/community/metro-50-plus

Positively UK Therapeutic Horticulture - Depending on Covid-19 government restrictions, The Seeds participants gather face-to-face or online for gardening sessions, talks around plants, mindfulness sessions, outdoor gym classes, picnics and nutrition talks. https://positivelyuk.org/therapeutic-horticulture/

Out in the City - Out in The City is a project (supported by Age UK Manchester) to support members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities who are over 50 years of age. -https://outinthecity.org/

Tonic - Tonic is focused on creating vibrant and inclusive urban LGBT+ affirming retirement communities where people can share common experiences, find mutual support and enjoy their later life. - https://www.tonicliving.org.uk/

LGBT Foundation - support the needs of the diverse range of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans. - https://lgbt.foundation/bringdementiaout