Fast-Track Cities London at BHIVA Spring Conference 2025: Championing Partnership-Led HIV Responses
Last week, members of the Fast-Track Cities London team were excited to attend the BHIVA Spring Conference 2025, where we joined clinicians, advocates, community leaders and researchers from across the UK to share learning, spark innovation and collectively advance our goals to end new HIV transmissions and support people living with HIV to thrive.
This year’s conference marked an important moment for Fast-Track Cities London: not only did we participate as attendees and collaborators, but our GP Champions, community partners and peer leaders also took to the stage to present vital work being done across London to improve outcomes and reduce stigma.
GP Champions: Driving HIV Innovation in Primary Care
Our Fast-Track Cities GP Champions, Dr Grace Bottoni and Dr James Stevenson along with Dr Rachel Hill-Tout from NHS England, delivered a well-received presentation that spotlighted the pioneering work of London’s GP champions in integrating HIV testing, prevention, and care into primary care services. Their talk focused on:
- Working closely together with HIV consultants.
- Expanding routine HIV testing in GP surgeries.
- Supporting GPs with tools and confidence to initiate conversations about HIV.
- Reducing late diagnosis through earlier engagement in primary care.
The Champions shared learning from across boroughs, including successful local campaigns and improvements in testing uptake. The presentation demonstrated the power of cross-sector collaboration to equip primary care teams with the confidence and knowledge to tackle HIV head-on.
There was also a presentation from Dr Sam Preston on increasing statin uptake for people living with HIV in primary care and a poster from Dr Ruth Harris on HIV and hepatitis workshops for Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese speaking communities.
HIV Confident: A Peer-Led Revolution in Normalising Conversations
We were especially proud to see Harun Tulunay from Positively UK take to the stage to present on the HIV Confident charter mark, funded by Fast-Track Cities London for three years, led by the National AIDS Trust working with Positively UK.
Harun’s compelling presentation highlighted how peer-led training is transforming workplaces and services, equipping professionals with the skills to talk openly, respectfully and confidently about HIV.
Harun spoke powerfully about the real-world impact of stigma, the need for greater empathy in service delivery, and how HIV Confident is actively dismantling barriers through storytelling and lived experience. The audience resonated with the authenticity and urgency of Harun’s message — that confidence in HIV knowledge and communication is critical to inclusive, effective care.
Breaking Down Barriers to Peer Support: A Call to Action
Another highlight was Garry Brough’s insightful presentation on the persistent barriers to peer support for people living with HIV. Garry unpacked the systemic, organisational, and psychological factors that continue to hinder access to meaningful peer-led services, despite their well-evidenced benefits.
His presentation challenged delegates to rethink how services are commissioned, designed, delivered and evaluated, arguing that peer support must shift from being seen as a “nice-to-have” referral option to becoming a core opt-out component of quality HIV care. Garry’s session left a strong impression on many in the audience, igniting important conversations around funding, integration, and power-sharing with communities.
Looking Ahead
Our presence at BHIVA reminded us that real progress comes from bringing together the clinical, voluntary, statutory and lived experience voices that make up the fabric of the HIV response. We’re proud of the powerful work our GP Champions, peer leaders, and community partners are leading — and of the opportunity to share these stories with the wider HIV sector.
Fast-Track Cities London remains committed to equity, collaboration, and innovation in the fight to end HIV stigma and improve the lives of everyone affected.