BHIVA holds two conferences each year; the Annual Conference of BHIVA is held in the spring, traditionally in April, and the BHIVA Autumn Conference is held in October. The Annual Conference venue rotates each year in order to try and give all members across the UK the greatest opportunity to attend on a regular basis. The Autumn Conference is held in London.

Attendance at BHIVA conferences has grown rapidly and attracts a broad spectrum of participants from experienced HIV specialists to those still in training, and from HIV clinicians to those who provide support and care to the patient community. 

The highlight of the Annual Conference of BHIVA is the presentation of the latest research undertaken by junior doctors working in HIV centres across the UK. Abstract submissions are invited for presentation at the conference and are considered by an Abstract Review Committee, the members of which are selected from the Education and Scientific subcommittee and the Conferences subcommittee of BHIVA. Abstracts accepted for presentations at the conference (both oral and poster) are published in a supplement to HIV Medicine, the BHIVA journal, which is now listed in index medicus.

The BHIVA Autumn Conference is currently held annually at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London with attendance at around 600 delegates. The conference regularly includes the Joint British HIV Association (BHIVA) / British Association for HIV and Sexual Health (BASHH) Ordinary General Meeting and Children’s HIV Association (CHIVA) Parallel Sessions. Highlights of the programme include the BHIVA Foundation Lecture, an interactive BHIVA Guidelines session and a BHIVA Community Symposium. High calibre speakers were invited to present up-to-the-minute presentations, which provide much required material for delegate Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.

In addition, BHIVA has recently piloted a series of ‘Best of CROI’ Feedback Meetings  in London and key regional destinations around the UK, to review the key issues presented at the CROI International Conference. A working party was put together, with participants invited from the BHIVA Executive Committee and the general BHIVA membership. The feedback meetings proved highly successful in 2007, with a good attendances and feedback from delegates, and as such they have become an integral part of the BHIVA conference calendar.

Click here for more information on the Conferences Subcommittee