HIV Diagnosis Referral

Summary

• Most HIV diagnoses are made in the general practice setting.
• Some states and territories have specific programs in place to assist practitioners who have just made a new diagnosis.
• ASHM produces a range of practical resources to support GPs when making a new HIV diagnosis, including: guidance on conveying a positive result; support for patients; legal responsibilities; and contact tracing/partner notification.

Most HIV diagnoses are made in general practice.

Delivering a positive HIV result can be a difficult task for a health worker, particularly when it might be the first diagnosis they have made.

Knowing the best way to deliver a result and accessing the resources and support available to both clinician and patient can make this process easier.

ASHM works closely with a range of HIV organisations across Australia. Please find below a list of resources from organisations in different states and territories.

New South Wales

Referral Pathways for GPs and Patients
HIV Support Program (HSP)
Patient-centred care and support is at the core of the NSW Ministry of Health’s HIV Support Program. The Program assists GPs to negotiate additional support, meeting individual needs for each new HIV diagnosis. The program also provides information for patients around psychosocial and community support services that are available across the state.

Supporting Services:

ACON (The AIDS Council of NSW)
Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF)
Positive Life NSW
Positive Heterosexual Service
Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Health Services (MHAHS)

Queensland

Referral Pathways for GPs
STI Contact Tracing for General Practice (Queensland Government)

Referral Pathways for Patients
HIV Disclosure and the Law (Queensland Government)
Queensland Positive People (QPP) – Patient resource

South Australia

Referral Pathways for​ GPs
Code for the Case Management of Behaviours that Present a Risk for HIV Transmission (SA Health)
South Australia HIV Primary Care Coordination Program – Specialist Nursing Services (RDNS)
SHINE SA – not-for-profit provider of primary care services and education for sexual and relationship wellbeing

​​Referral Pathways for​ Patients
Relationships Australia – Services for people living with HIV
Positive Life SA – A peer driven community organisation for people living with HIV/AIDS in South Australia
South Australia HIV Primary Care Coordination Program​ – for people living with HIV in South Australia (RDNS)
SAMESH-SHINE SA – provides support, education and training about Sexual Health and HIV for men who have sex with men and people living with HIV, as well as services for the broader LGBTIQ community in South Australia.
AIDS Council of South Australia

Tasmania

Referral Pathways for​ GPs
Tasmanian Government Health Services – Provides links information, guidelines and referral pathways for clinicians in Tasmania

​Referral Pathways for​ Patients
The Tasmanian Council on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Diseases (TasCAHRD) – TasCAHRD/Redthread has provided support for people living with HIV and their families for over 30 years in individual support, including housing and other services.

Victoria

Referral Pathways for​ GPs
The Alfred – The Alfred provides a statewide HIV service, which provides comprehensive care for Victorians affected by or infected with HIV. This ranges from acute care and chronic illness management, to health maintenance, prevention and health promotion.

​Referral Pathways for​ Patients
Living Positive Victoria – Living Positive Victoria (LPV) is a not for profit, community based organization representing all people living with HIV in Victoria since 1988 and is committed to the advancement of human rights and wellbeing of all people living with HIV
Thorne Harbour Health (formerly the Victorian AIDS Council) – leads the fight against HIV/AIDS by providing care and support to PLHIV through health promotion and advocacy, VAC aims to improve the health outcomes for gender, sex and people from sexually diverse communities
Positive Women Victoria – provides peer support, information and advocacy for women who are living with HIV

​Western Australia

Referral Pathways for​ GPs
Time of Diagnosis specialist advice sheet (Dept of Health WA)​ – a contact list of helpful organisations for GPs and their patients during the time of HIV diagnosis
WA Department of Health

​Referral Pathways for​ Patients
HIV information sheet​ (Dept of Health WA): Basic overview of HIV/AIDS for people living with HIV and their families, friends and other contacts
Living with HIV responsibilities to yourself and others (Dept of Health WA): For people living with HIV, this 12-page booklet outlines their responsibilities and choices.
Positive Organisation Western Australia (POWA)
WA AIDS Council