The leading UK professional association representing professionals in HIV care. Founded in 1995, it is a well-established and highly respected organisation with national influence committed to providing excellence in the care of those living with and affected by HIV. BHIVA acts as a national advisory body to professions and other organisations on all aspects of HIV care. BHIVA also provides a national platform for HIV care and contributes representatives for international, national and local committees dealing with HIV care. In addition, BHIVA works to promote undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education within HIV care. BHIVA holds two conferences each year. The CPD-registered conferences attract a broad spectrum of participants from experienced HIV specialists to those still in training and encourages UK research to be presented, as well as inviting eminent international speakers to present state of the art data.

The BHIVA Executive Committee oversees the work of the association, which is run by the four subcommittees on Audit and Standards, Conferences, Education and Scientific and Guidelines.

To set achievable targets and indicators of care, the BHIVA Audit and Standards Subcommittee conducts annual audits. To help promote and monitor high standards of care, BHIVA has published guidelines covering HIV and hepatitis B and C co-infection; immunisation; kidney transplantation; liver transplantation; pregnancy; TB co-infection and Treatment Guidelines. Guidelines under development include HIV and Malignancy; Opportunistic Infections (with BIS); Pregnancy (with CHIVA); Reproductive and Sexual Health and Toxicity. The current membership of the association is over 800 across a wide range of healthcare professionals and other HIV healthcare workers. Membership benefits include subscription to the key journal HIV Medicine, BHIVA Newsletter, BHIVA National Audit Report and BHIVA Treatment Guidelines. BHIVA is affiliated with the Children's HIV Association of UK and Ireland (CHIVA), Dieticians in HIV and AIDS (DHIVA), the HIV Pharmacy Association (HIVPA) and the National HIV Nurses Association (NHIVNA). BHIVA has developed important links with other relevant organisations, encouraging exchange of information between national and international centres, such as the International AIDS Society (IAS), the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) and the Medical Research Council (MRC).