In January 2005 the Department of Health finally published the HIV and AIDS in African Communities: A Framework for Better Prevention and Care. The Framework developed in 2001 awaited ministerial approval, which was received four years later. The document was developed to fulfil the vision of the NHS Plan and meet the standards and goals set out in the National Strategy. It concentrates on what needs to be done to improve services for African communities, with examples of good practice, rather than setting detailed prescriptive requirements on how it should be done.

The work came out of a growing sense among African HIV community organizations that a national approach to HIV prevention and care was critically important. Until now, there has been very little that defines and describes the national issues in relation to HIV prevention and care needs for African communities. There is a growing body of excellent local work, or work focusing on specific subpopulations, but the ability for us all to look at the pertinent needs and issues across England was hampered by an absence of strategy.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/90/52/04099052.pdf