Barts and The London HIV Service
Once you have been diagnosed with HIV, your first appointment will be with a nurse who has in-depth knowledge about caring for patients with HIV. This appointment will take approximately one hour. During this appointment you will discuss your medical and emotional needs. If appropriate, you may be referred to our counselling service to discuss any worries or anxieties you may have or to simply discuss the impact that HIV may have on your lifestyle.
During this appointment, the nurse will take various blood tests to establish your CD4 count and viral load levels. These blood tests are very important as they indicate the levels of HIV infection and what treatment approach will be required to keep HIV infection under control.
Your nurse will also explain how our service works and what to expect in the future. This includes everything from making appointments, when you should refer to your local GP and why it’s important that you attend for blood tests two weeks before any appointments.
Approximately two weeks after your first appointment and when all your test results are ready, you will have an appointment with your doctor, who will discuss your future treatment programmes with you.