A nurse who worked through the height of the HIV crisis said Liverpool was at the forefront of education around the virus.
Lesley Mills, a nurse consultant at Royal Liverpool Hospital between 1987 and 1996, claims she saw first-hand how education and awareness of HIV varied in different areas of the UK.
The 51-year-old, originally from Chester, said that, in the past, even some healthcare professionals were scared of the virus.
READ MORE: Coronation Street's Kym Marsh 'bursting' as she shares baby news
She told the ECHO : "Their ignorance and lack of understanding meant that often those with HIV were often judged unfairly.
"Prejudices were very prevalent, some nurses wouldn’t look after those with HIV or would shy away. Their beliefs were very misdirected towards other groups.”
After working at St Mary's in London and in another hospital in Edinburgh, Lesley realised the larger cities with more services for HIV had a "greater understanding of the condition and acceptance towards those with the virus".
Regardless of location, one common belief Lesley remembers was those with haemophilia were seen to be "innocent victims" as they contracted HIV from contaminated blood products.
She added: "Working on a haematology unit in the early 90s, those with haemophilia all were dying from HIV related illnesses, which many had contracted secondary to using infected blood products for their haemophilia.
"At the time, those with HIV were put into groups - [those who had] intravenous drug use, gay men or those with haemophilia - which led to increased prejudices.
"The understanding and care for people with HIV has improved so much and Liverpool was at the forefront compared to smaller cities and towns. It is now looked upon as a long-term condition, rather than a condition that one is very much likely to die of.
"There is more of an understanding that this condition is one that can affect anyone and everyone, not a condition that only affects certain people."
Recent statistics have shown the number of new HIV diagnoses in heterosexual people is higher than in gay and bisexual men for the first time in 10 years.
In the year leading to December 2021, 45% of all new diagnoses were in gay and bisexual man whereas 50% were in heterosexual men or women, according to the UK Health Security Agency (HSA).
The HSA also found that heterosexual people were more likely to be diagnosed late, at a stage when damage to their immune systems had already begun.
Now, HIV education up and down the country has improved immensely thanks to the likes of Sahir House.
Sahir House is a charity who has been offering support, prevention, information and training since 1985 to those living with HIV.
This week marks the UK’s annual National HIV Testing Week which encourages the public to know their status.
Sahir House is encouraging regular testing to help to reduce the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV and those diagnosed late.
Axess Sexual Health told the ECHO that one in 20 people living with HIV in Cheshire and Merseyside are unaware and therefore are increasing the risk of health problems and passing HIV on to sexual partners.
Dr Martyn Wood, consultant in HIV medicine at Axess Sexual Health, said: "In 2020 in Liverpool nearly half of people first diagnosed with HIV were diagnosed late, meaning that they were at risk of poor health outcomes.
"We all have an HIV status either positive, negative or unknown. HIV testing week aims to reduce the number of people who don't know their status.”
As part of the week, free HIV test kits are being made available to the public by the NHS and anyone who is sexually active is being encouraged to take a test.
Alternatively, you can book into one of the Axess Sexual Health clinics based in Liverpool, Knowsley, Warrington, Runcorn and Cheshire East.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here.
