A BADLY-needed sup-port worker for people living with the spectre of HIV and AIDS is set to be recruited for East Lancashire.

For some time the East Lancashire Sexual Health Local Implementation Team has been concerned about a lack of provision for HIV and AIDS in the voluntary sector, according to Lancashire County Council officials.

Now a £15,000 grant has been authorised by the county council's social services department to fund a new scheme being promoted by the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Employed by the Hyndburn office, the worker would work within the genito-urinary clinics at the Royal Blackburn Hospital and St Peter's Centre in Burnley.

People living with HIV and AIDS would rather seek assistance from voluntary organisations than public bodies, research conducted by the county council has shown.

Social services manager Bill Fillingham said: "The post holder would be able to respond to social issues and offer support, almost at the point of diagnosis so as to offer, in conjunction with health professionals, a holistic service.

"The post holder would be able to provide individ-ualised support to more vulnerable service users through appointments, home visits and telephone support."

The worker will advise on matters such as debt and money advice, welfare rights, employment opportunities and how to seek support from other groups.

It is hoped that the move will encourage more people living with HIV and AIDS to come forward - in a stigma-free environment - to seek assistance.

Currently the burden for providing support often falls on health workers, rather than people who specialise in working with voluntary agencies.

The grant bid had the backing of both the county's HIV co-ordinator and East Lancashire's sexual health experts. There are currently more than 100 people in East Lancashire living with HIV/AIDS.

Adam Wilkinson, services manager at Terrence Higgins Trust, an HIV/AIDS charity, said: "It's really important that posts like these are funded as they help many people living with HIV, especially those who are newly diagnosed.

"It's also really positive that the service is being provided in a way which local people find accessible."