Patients visiting A&E departments in Manchester will soon be offered opt-out HIV tests as part of routine blood work. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to eliminate HIV transmission by 2030.
The HIV action plan, unveiled by Health Secretary Wes Streeting on World AIDS Day, aims to reconnect people who have left HIV care and bring them back into treatment. Backed by £170 million in funding, the plan also seeks to reduce stigma around HIV.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the testing programme will initially target areas with the highest rates of infection, including London and Manchester. It is expected to reach thousands of people with undiagnosed HIV who might not otherwise visit sexual health clinics.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said, “We are making the goal of ending HIV transmissions in England by 2030 a reality, with a groundbreaking prevention programme, at-home tests via the NHS App, and opt-out testing in emergency departments.”
Mr Streeting added, “HIV treatment has transformed lives. People living with HIV today can lead full, healthy lives and cannot pass the virus on to others. But we can go further. Ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 is ambitious, and this government is determined to make it happen.”
The DHSC will focus support on roughly 5,000 people living with HIV who are no longer in care, often due to mental health issues, addiction, poverty, or fear of judgment. Hospitals implementing the opt-out scheme will also provide anti-stigma training for staff to ensure patients can access care without fear.
In addition, a £5 million trial will allow at-risk patients to order home HIV testing kits through the NHS App. The service offers discreet, secure results and links to GPs or sexual health clinics, providing an alternative for those reluctant to visit a clinic.
“Our national re-engagement programme targets the epidemic where it is growing and ensures no one is left behind,” Mr Streeting said. “We’ll find infections early, bring people into life-saving care, and help everyone live healthy lives. Thanks to the work of campaigners across the country, ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 is within reach.”
Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, welcomed the plan. “The new HIV Action Plan is a major step toward ending new transmissions in England. Opt-out testing in emergency departments is a model the Foundation piloted in 2018, and results show over 90% of those newly diagnosed had never been tested before. Targeted investment like this saves lives. But bold investment in prevention, including wider access to PrEP, is essential to fully end new infections.”
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