A team of nurses and researchers from Sheffield who examined the support HIV patients need to take essential drugs have won a top prize.
Dr Hilary Piercy, a principal lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, Gill Bell, a nurse consultant sexual health adviser at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Dr Christine Bowman, clinical director of communicable diseases at the health trust, won first prize at the National HIV Nurses Association conference.
The team examined the support patients need to take anti-retroviral drugs – essential if patients are to avoid becoming sick and dying prematurely – and won for their presentation of key research findings.
Their findings will be used to inform future service developments.
Ms Bell said: “We are delighted to have won this award because it recognises the importance of understanding what patients need from health care services to enable them to manage their HIV successfully.
“This study identified essential components of adherence support and provided insights into the patient experience, which will enable us to better inform and guide service delivery in the future.”