"HIV testing for all" to stop the spread of the virus before 2030

There are calls to introduce testing for HIV whenever blood is taken in England – regardless of the person’s gender, ethnicity or sexuality and Elton John is backing the idea.

The newly established HIV Commission has released a series of recommendations to meet the government's target of NO new HIV cases in the the country after 2030.

The Commission says there are "significant missed opportunities" to accurately test for HIV with over half a million eligible people last year not tested in sexual health clinics alone.

They say it is vital that testing becomes standard practice when registering for a GP, at routine smear exams, in pharmacies and in accident and emergency departments.

Elton John backs HIV tests

The calls are backed by Sir Elton John, whose AIDS Foundation is one of the Commission's founding members.

He said: "One thing we’ve learned this year is the importance of testing and testing for HIV is at the core of ending new cases of HIV in England. It’s so important for everyone to know their HIV status to protect themselves and others. Making HIV testing available and normalised throughout the health service not only means people can be treated but by testing becoming routine, this removes some of the stigma that’s holding us back.

"The HIV Commission report released today highlights this as the overwhelming recommendation to reach the UK government’s commitment to end new HIV cases in England by 2030. We have the chance for England to lead the way and be the first country to end new cases of HIV. We must not miss the chance at this legacy.’

Dame Inga Beale, Chair of the HIV Commission, said: ‘Zero new HIV cases in England by 2030 isn’t a pipedream or social media-friendly date plucked from the air – it’s 100% achievable. That’s why, after a year of gathering evidence, I’m very proud to launch our HIV Commission’s clear and actionable recommendations. We are calling on Government to read, respond and set out what it needs to achieve each year between now and 2030.

‘Our vision for 2030 is a realistic one. It will require a significant increase in funding to enable the much needed step change in HIV testing across our healthcare systems, but will save our NHS money in the long run. Because only by testing everyone – regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexuality – can we truly normalise testing for HIV and make it a standard part of everyday healthcare. I’m excited to see this vision become reality.’

Deborah Gold from the HIV Commission tells Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle why action is needed.

Could I be living with undiagnosed HIV?

It’s estimated that currently around 5,900 people in England are living with undiagnosed HIV, which drastically increases the chance of unwittingly passing this virus on.

The UK has been very successful in reducing transmission and in improving treatment so that people with HIV live normal lives. Now, the HIV Commission is calling for everyone to know their HIV status in a move to make the population more conscious of transmission. It says without a significant step change in HIV testing, England will waste its opportunity to become the very first country to end HIV cases within the next decade.

Check out this video from the Terrence Higgins Trust

Why is a change needed?

The message from the HIV Commission is clear: England is not on track to meet the 2030 target. This is despite all of the tools necessary to stop anyone contracting HIV, including HIV prevention pill Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, accurate and fast testing options, and effective treatment for people living with HIV that means the virus can’t be passed on.

But they say these highly effective prevention methods are being "woefully underused" with "vast disparities" in awareness and access across different parts of the country and different groups impacted by HIV.

Over half a million (549,849) people could potentially have been tested in specialist sexual health clinics last year, according to Public Health England. Half of those (46%) were not offered a test, while the other half declined.

These numbers led the HIV Commission to recommend no one leaves any sexual health services without being offered a test regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexuality.

Deborah Gold, Chief Executive at National AIDS Trust, said: ‘It’s extraordinary that we’re in a position, with the tools at our disposal and a clear roadmap from the HIV Commission, to end new HIV cases nationally in the next decade. To squander this opportunity would be unforgivable. We must make this a reality with urgent action now. The Government must provide strong leadership, additional resources and much wider access to HIV testing to set England on course to end new HIV transmissions. Let’s make sure we mark World AIDS Day in 2030 confident that we did all we could to reach this goal.’

Wasn't I tested for HIV when I was pregnant?

Maternity services offer routine HIV testing. Opt-out testing is routine for pregnant women and there is now a 99% testing coverage. This has led to almost no babies being born with HIV in England.

The Commission believes GP surgeries, A&E departments, termination clinics, pharmacies and gender clinics should follow suit – with the funding made available to do so. Many people will never attend a sexual health clinic but will regularly visit their GP while pharmacies are an ideal place to test for those in rural areas or smaller towns.

What should the government do next?

The HIV Commission’s other recommendations are:

• 1) The government should adopt their findings into their own HIV action plan, including the allocation of sufficient resources and funding to drastically scale up HIV testing across England’s healthcare systems.

• 2) The commission is also calling for the Government to further commit to an 80% reduction in new diagnoses by 2025, which would see cases drop from 2,861 in 2019 to fewer than 600 in five years’ time. That’s because it believes ‘finishing the job’ will be the hardest task.

They believe if all of this is put in place, England will become the first country in the world to eradicate HIV after a five-decade long fight.

Find out more information about services available to people living with HIV via The Terrence Higgins Trust , the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the National AIDS Trust

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