A.I.D.S. counsellor appointed in Chch

Press, 28 July 1986, Page 2

A.I.D.S. counsellor appointed in Chch

By

JOAN BEGG

health reporter

The A.I.D.S. Foundation has appointed a counsellor in Christchurch.

Mr John Bradshaw, an experienced Christchurch counsellor and teacher, would start work with the foundation next month, said the Auckland-based foundation director, Mr Warren Lindberg, People concerned about A.I.D.S. would probably be referred to Mir Bradshaw for counselling by agencies such as the A.I.D.S. Support Network in Christchurch, church counselling organisations and doctors.

Counselling services would be offered for 20 hours a week.

An office had not yet been finalised, said Mr Lindberg. The foundation is still negotiating with the Canterbury Hospital Board for an A.I.D.S. clinic. Until a clinic — which

would offer diagnostic and counselling services — was set up, interim premises would have to be found.

Mr Lindberg expects a decision will be made on the A.I.D.S. clinic within the next few months. The only A.I.D.S. clinic in New Zealand opened in Auckland a month ago. That clinic, named after Bruce Burnett, the founder and co-ordinator of the A.I.D.S. Support Network, had attracted a lot of work, said Mr Lindberg.

He expected the Christchurch counsellor would also be kept very busy, and that counselling hours might have to be extended.

The only - reported A.I.D.S. patient in Christchurch was a visiting Californian with an A.1.D.5.related condition. He was treated at Christchurch Hospital for pneumonia in May, and then returned to the United States where

he later died. Recent figures indicate that 136 New Zealanders have been in contact with the A.I.D.S. virus. Of those, about 20 are expected to develop the disease, which is usually fatal.

The emphasis of the A.I.D.S. Foundation nationally, and the A.I.D.S. Support Network in Christchurch, was on education and the promotion of “safe sex” practices, said Mr Lindberg. The foundation is funded by the Government.

In Christchurch, the volunteer A.I.D.S. Support Network has run a series of training week-ends for its 50 or so members.

The co-ordinator, Mr lan Smith, said that an important aspect of the network was education, of the public and at-risk groups. The main aim was to try and prevent the possibility of an A.I.D.S. epidemic in New Zealand.