In the early 1980's HIV was a largely unknown disease.  Patrick Dixon began, in his work as a medical doctor, to meet patients with unknown symptons, who, when diagnosed with HIV, were often refused treatment in hospitals or hospices because of the fear of infection. As a result, ACET was born in 1988.  Initially it offered patients home based and palliative care by trained volunteers in the London area.  However, other teams sprang up around the UK.  Eventually, and partly as a result of campaigning by ACET, the UK National Health Service took responsibility for this work, which is now part of normal medical practice, and ACET turned its attention to the HIV pandemic internationally.  Beginning in Uganda, but now working in 23 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe, the ACET International Alliance offers care, education and training to over 1 million people a year.

ACET also retains an interest in the UK.  With Oasis Esteem, it supports Christian workers offering health and sexual education in schools and ACET partners continue to work in many parts of the UK to reach out to groups on the margins of society who are infected with, or at risk from HIV.

ACET firmly believes that HIV can be beaten and looks forward to a world where it will just be a memory.