A new Camden Council Scrutiny Panel is to look at how to best fund services for people living with HIV in the borough.

The panel will investigate the services that Camden Council currently provides to people living with HIV in the borough and review its and the Camden Primary Care Trust’s work on sexual health promotion.

Government figures show Camden has the second highest rate (50.1 people per 10,000) of residents living with HIV in London and one of the highest in the country.

Around 1,000 residents currently live with the virus.

The panel of five councillors will meet for the first time on Monday 21 March and take evidence over a two-month period through a series of meetings, visits and consultations with services users and providers, experts and key stakeholders.

The panel will then deliver a series of proposals to the council’s Executive Committee including recommendations about the future funding of HIV services in Camden once current government ring-fenced grants end in April 2006.

 “The ending of the current funding system for HIV services in the borough poses some serious questions on how Camden Council supports people living with HIV in the years to come,” said Cllr Jonathan Simpson, who will chair the panel.

“Camden has one of the highest HIV infection rates in London and the country, and it is essential that we offer residents services that fully meet their needs,” he added.

“I hope the work of this panel will enable people who live with HIV in the borough to have their say on the services they use.”

The panel are keen to hear from members of the public, particularly people living with HIV, about their views on HIV services in Camden. Anyone who wants to contribute should write to Julia Regan, Scrutiny Officer, Room 317, London Borough of Camden, Town Hall, Judd Street WC1H 9JE or e-mail julia.regan@camden.gov.uk.

Meetings of Camden Council’s Scrutiny Panel into the Funding of HIV services are open to the public. For more information, visit www.camden.gov.uk.