Effective treatment can mean that people with HIV can live a long, healthy life. Even though you receive your HIV care from a specialist HIV clinic, it is still important to have a general practitioner (GP) or family doctor for health needs that aren't related to HIV. Your HIV clinic and your GP can work together to ensure you get the best possible care. Your GP will leave HIV treatment decisions to your HIV doctor, and your HIV clinic can discuss (with your permission) other aspects of your health with your GP.

Don’t wait until you’re ill to look for a GP. You will need to register with a GP to have access to their services. Most HIV clinics keep a list of GPs, and may be able to recommend a GP with experience of caring for people with HIV. Or you can go to the NHS services directory website or contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 for details of GP practices in your area.

If you have problems finding a GP who is able to register you, then contact your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). GPs cannot refuse to register you because you have HIV or any other medical condition, or because of your race, colour or sexuality.

GP care is free. If you are not a UK citizen, you may still be able to get free treatment from a GP. You are entitled to care if you are seeking asylum or if your country has a reciprocal healthcare arrangement with the UK. Also, some GPs may be willing to treat people with immigration problems. You can get help with registering with a GP from your HIV clinic or from the Refugee Council. There is information about the NHS and the care GPs offer here. You can also find this information in other languages.

Telling your GP that you are HIV-positive will help them have a full picture of your health to ensure you get the best possible care. For example, they will be able to take HIV into account in assessing any symptoms you have. And, if you are taking HIV drugs, they will consider potential interactions with any other medications.

Regular health monitoring is important in helping you stay well when you are HIV-positive. GPs have lots of experience of helping people manage long-term conditions. Leading a healthy lifestyle is an important way of staying well with HIV. Your GP can help you with things such as: eating well and losing weight, doing exercise, stopping smoking and cutting down on alcohol and drugs.

Your GP can help with all sorts of services you may need that may not be available at your HIV clinic. They can treat conditions and prescribe drugs that your clinic might not, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol medication or anti-depressants, and provide other medical care such as flu vaccines. 

Your GP surgery may be more convenient than your clinic – closer to home, or open longer hours. GP surgeries have emergency services if you need to see a doctor during the night or at a weekend, and they can arrange for you to go to hospital if that is what you need. GPs can do home visits if you are too ill to come to a clinic or surgery.

Your GP medical records are confidential, and nobody can see them without your consent (including insurance companies – you will need to sign a consent form for your doctor to provide information on your health to an insurer). If you are concerned about disclosing your status to a GP, you can discuss the pros and cons with staff at your HIV treatment centre, or an organisation that provides advice, support and advocacy to people with HIV.

If you are not happy with the way your GP has treated you, it is a good idea to follow this up. You can do this directly with them, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you can ask for help from the NHS or from an organisation that provides advice, support and advocacy to people with HIV. You can also change GPs. You do not need to tell your current GP that you are leaving or the reason for it if you don’t want to. And you don’t have to tell your new GP why you are changing.