HIV
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus which affects the body’s immune system and can break down the immune system’s ability to fight disease and infections.
We have a dedicated HIV outpatient service. The opening hours are:
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
8:30am to 12:00pm
Reception 02921 835197 / Pharmacy- 02921 835176
If you have a query outside of the HIV outpatient opening hours, you can email cav.mdtc@wales.nhs.uk.
HIV exposure within 72 hours
If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, it may be appropriate for you to take medication to decrease the risk of contracting HIV.
This is called post exposure prophylaxis for HIV, or PEP for short. It is important that you start taking this medication as soon as possible after the potential exposure, ideally within the first 24 hours.
Please contact us on 02921 835208 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). A receptionist will take your details and a clinician will ring you back urgently. An appointment will be allocated to you to attend the Department on the same day. If the clinic is closed you can access PEP from the Emergency Unit at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW)
If you think may have been exposed to HIV more than 72 hours ago, there is no benefit to taking PEP. However, we would advise that you contact the clinic for advice and testing. You may be eligible for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) to prevent HIV and the clinic staff will arrange to advise about this.
Prevention
PrEP is for people without HIV who are at very high risk of getting it from their sexual behaviour or their potential exposure to HIV infection, so if you are HIV-negative, and don’t always use condoms, then PrEP could help reduce your risk of getting HIV.
Signs that you may be at higher risk of HIV, other than behaviour, are that you have recently had a sexually transmitted infection or that you have used post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Trials among men who have sex with men, transgender women, heterosexuals, and injecting drug users have shown that PrEP can reduce HIV infection risk quite significantly – when PrEP is taken consistently, and if other safer sex methods are used as well.
However, prior to starting PrEP, you must be certain that you are HIV-negative. A confirmed HIV-negative test is absolutely necessary to start on PrEP. Also people on PrEP need to get re-tested for HIV every three months. You can get an HIV test at your local Integrated Sexual Health Clinic.
When taken every day, PrEP is safe and highly effective in preventing HIV infection
PrEP does not prevent the transmission of other STIs — you need to use condoms to protect against STIs.