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20 November 2025
Becoming HIV Confident: an evening on awareness and inclusion
Panel Speakers at the Becoming HIV eventeThe London Institute for Healthcare Engineering (LIHE) recently hosted Becoming HIV Confident, an event organised in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. The evening brought together healthcare professionals, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion representatives and industry partners to highlight the importance of HIV awareness and understanding.
HIV Confident is a national initiative that helps organisations build inclusive, stigma-free environments for both patients and employees. It promotes equitable access to healthcare and fair opportunities at work, recognising that people living with HIV still face stigma and discrimination in many settings. It strengthens understanding, encourages positive attitudes, and builds confidence, taking a constructive approach that welcomes learning rather than shaming.
The programme tackles stigma at both workforce and systems levels through surveys, eLearning, policy reviews, and reporting processes. Siemens Healthineers became a HIV Confident organisation in December 2024 and continues to support initiatives that promote awareness, inclusion and equality across the healthcare sector.
The event featured insightful talks from guest speakers, including an introduction to the HIV Confident initiative by Annie Howard, Senior Programme Manager at HIV Confident, and a perspective on the potential impact of HIV confident from Harun Tulunay, a patient living with HIV. Dr Kate Reilly from Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, also shared the organisation’s experience of becoming HIV Confident, including direct testimonials from NHS staff members.
The evening concluded with a networking reception, creating space for open discussion and collaboration among attendees committed to fostering inclusive healthcare environments.
“At our Trust, staff feedback highlighted the impact of the HIV Confident training – simple, effective, and myth-busting. Many acknowledged their previous ignorance and noted how quickly it challenged their assumptions and educated them on what HIV is now.”
Dr Kate Reilly, Clinical Psychologist and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s HIV Confident Lead
"At Siemens Healthineers, we are proud to be the first private organisation to achieve HIV Confident status, reflecting our commitment to social value and inclusive workplaces. We are grateful to LIHE for partnering with us to host a special evening focused on raising awareness on this topic".
Carl Smith, CT Business Manager, Siemens Healthineers Great Britain and Ireland
"We were proud to host such an insightful evening in collaboration with our partners, Siemens Healthineers, and HIV Confident. If we are to drive better health outcomes for all, we need to address all types of health disparity, and this makes addressing the HIV stigma within healthcare settings and in the community a crucial step to achieving health equity.”
Dr Nicolas Huber, Director, Commercial Operations and Partnerships, London Institute for Healthcare Engineering
Contact
Kate O’Connell
Communications & Content Assistant
Corporate Communications
King’s College London
Mobile: +44 (0)7467 357363
Email: katherine.a.oconnell@kcl.ac.uk
Source: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/becoming-hiv-confident-an-evening-on-awareness-and-inclusion
"Reproduced with permission - KING's COLLEGE LONDON"
KING's COLLEGE LONDON
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