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HIV research and testing event in Vauxhall—Sunday 18 September

12 September 2011

Leading HIV/AIDS research charity St Stephen’s AIDS Trust has organised a one-off event in Vauxhall this weekend to promote their clinical trials and offer HIV testing, in partnership with nurses from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Leading HIV/AIDS research charity St Stephen’s AIDS Trust has organised a one-off event in Vauxhall this weekend to promote their clinical trials and offer HIV testing, in partnership with nurses from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The hospital’s mobile health clinic bus will be outside legendary gay venue the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (aka the RVT) from 2–6pm on Sunday during the popular S.L.A.G.S/CHILL-OUT Sunday session.

Staff from St Stephen’s AIDS Trust Clinical Trials Unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital will be looking for HIV negative and HIV positive volunteers to take part in clinical trials while nurses from Chelsea and Westminster will be offering rapid HIV tests.

The Chelsea and Westminster mobile clinic has seen more than 500 patients in the last 12 months in locations as varied as Chelsea Football Club, Notting Hill Carnival and Gay Pride.

This innovative approach to testing for HIV aims to target people who might not go to a sexual health clinic for a test.

New figures published by the Health Protection Agency earlier this year revealed that the number of HIV cases has doubled in the last 10 years but it is thought that many more cases go undiagnosed.

Dr Marta Boffito, Consultant in HIV Medicine and Clinical Lead in Clinical Trials at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, says: “Many people won't come to sexual health clinics so we are going to them to offer a rapid HIV test with the results available in minutes.

“Our service is completely free and confidential. We hope lots of people at the RVT will take the opportunity to come and get themselves checked out this Sunday.”