UK Community Advisory Board (UK-CAB)
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    Online Training Programme

    The UK-CAB online training programme is an introduction to HIV treatment, research and treatment advocacy.

    “For someone new to HIV or to the UK-CAB, attending a regular meeting can seem a bit daunting. The topics and language can quickly become quite technical, and everybody else present seems to be so well informed!

    “We want to give everyone the chance to get up to speed with the basics.  The training might also be a good refresher if you feel you are a bit ‘out of touch’ with HIV or the UK-CAB.” Ben Cromarty, UK-CAB member.

    It is for anyone living with or affected by HIV, including if you are working in the HIV sector, except those working in the pharmaceutical sector. Sessions are presented by people from the HIV community, leading doctors and experts. It is free to register and join. The online training programme is made possible thanks to a grant from MSD, for which the UK-CAB is grateful.

    What it’s about

    The online training programme is in three sections, with each section including six one-hour modules:

    • Section 1: HIV treatment
      Section 2: Evidence-based medicine and clinical trials
    • Section 3: Living with HIV, HIV treatment and advocacy

    Registering for the course and joining UK-CAB.

    • Click here to register for the online training course. A link will be sent to you the day before each session so that you can join us live.
    • Click here to join the UK-CAB, if you are not already member. The UK-CAB network is free to join and open to anyone living with HIV, affected by HIV or working in the HIV sector.

    Section 1 – HIV treatment

    Module 1.1 – HIV History – Tuesday 10 January 2023
    This section begins with an outline of how the AIDS epidemic began, the impact on the general population and the rise of AIDS activism from Ben Cromarty. This is followed by a panel discussion from Dr Duncan Churchill, Consultant, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust; the late Chris Sandford, HIV activist and historian, peer support worker and Education Director, National HIV Story Trust and Robert James, Haemophilia and HIV activist, Lecturer, Sussex University. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 1.2 – HIV Testing – Tuesday 24 January 2023
    The science behind HIV testing from immediate past UK-CAB Chair, Alex Sparrowhawk, is followed by a community panel from leading national HIV organisations, who share their experiences of testing in community settings: Parminder Sekhon, CEO, NAZ London; Elisabete Miranda, Testing Lead, BHA for Equality and Peter Bampton, Prevention and Testing, Positive East. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 1.3 – HIV Treatment, Part 1 – Tuesday 14 February 2023
    The first part of two sections on HIV treatment looks at how treatment was developed and the milestones leading to today’s effective ART, from UK-CAB Steering Group member, Ben Cromarty, followed by an introduction to the immune system from Dr Laura Waters. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 1.4 – HIV Treatment, Part 2 – Tuesday 21 February 2023
    The second HIV treatment module explores how ART works and the impact of effective treatment, leading to U=U from Simon Collins, HIV i-Base. This is followed by an overview of future treatments from Dr Laura Waters, with a live update and Q&A. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 1.5 – HIV Treatment in practice in the UK – Tuesday 14 March 2023
    This module follows the path to tailored treatment, from initial diagnosis through to long-term care. The speaker panel includes peer support worker, Paul Clift, who helped to set up peer support – first in Brighton and then in London; HIV nurse specialist Jillian Williams, whose diverse 20-year experience includes an acute medical ward and HIV clinics, as well as community work; and HIV consultant Dr Vanessa Apea, who combines research into the intersection between race, gender and health with leading a busy clinic. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 1.6 – HIV Cure and Vaccine – Tuesday 28 March 2023
    The narrative of HIV cure research, leading to where we are today as the quest continues, with an update from Gus Cairns, including the most recent developments emerging from CROI and other conferences. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Section 2 – HIV treatment

    Section 1 of the training programme focussed on HIV treatment – how it was developed, what it is today, and how we access it. Section 2 goes on to look at how HIV drugs are developed, the role of the pharmaceutical industry in this, and how they are tested in clinical trials.

    We find out what evidence-based medicine means, how clinical trials are designed and run, and how the results are interpreted, plus an overview of the regulatory processes required before new drugs come onto the market. We also hear how the British HIV Association (BHIVA) researches, writes and reviews HIV treatment guidelines, with input from UK-CAB community representatives, ensuring the best health outcomes for all.

    Section 2 ends with a module on mental health and well-being, which is a key concern for people living with HIV.

    Module 2.1 – Evidence-based medicine, Part 1 – Tuesday 18 April, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
    Hajra Okhai, a research statistician from the Institute of Global Health, UCL, explains how we get the evidence we need to develop effective HIV treatment, how clinical trials are structured to get that information, and the important part people living with HIV can play in research. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 2.2 – Evidence-based medicine, Part 2 – Tuesday 9 May, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
    Ben Cromarty explains how research results are interpreted and evaluated, before being used to develop new drugs and treatment. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 2.3 – Pharmaceutical Industry – Tuesday 23 May, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
    Ben Cromarty takes us along the path from research to drug development, explaining how different types of drug work, with an overview of how the pharmaceutical industry operates. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 2.4 – the British HIV Association – Tuesday 6 June, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
    Find out more about the British HIV Association (BHIVA) and the role people living with HIV can play in it from Prof Yvonne Gilleece, Chair; Dr Clare van Halsema, Chair of BHIVA Guidelines Subcommittee; and Dr Fiona Burns & Ben Cromarty, on BHIVA Standards of Care. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 2.5 – the UK-CAB, its history and impact – Tuesday 20 June, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
    Simon Collins takes us through keynotes in the history of the UK Community Advisory Board (UK-CAB) since it began in 2002, with Alex Sparrowhawk, UK-CAB Chair 2018 – 2023, describing the part the UK-CAB plays today in representing the community in research, treatment development and in shaping health policy. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Module 2.6 – Mental health and wellbeing – Tuesday 4 July, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
    While mental health and well-being are essential to a good quality of life the HIV sector is often under-resourced with specialist support. We find out about key issues and realistic treatment options from HIV specialist clinical psychologists Dr Sarah Rutter and Dr Kate Reilly, and HIV Clinical Nurse Specialist Laura Wilson-Powell. Links will take you to UK-CAB on Vimeo.

    Residential Training Workshops

    The primary aim of our residential training workshops is to provide the opportunity to gain in depth knowledge about HIV, supporting members of the UK-CAB to build their skills and confidence.  Members who attend these courses are encouraged to become more engaged and active in future UK-CAB activities, for example, by applying for different community representative roles.

    You can share information from past residential treatment activism sessions online via these links: