The government has said ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030 is achievable through an action plan that will include regular testing in emergency departments.
The HIV action plan, to be launched on World AIDS Day on Monday, aims to re-engage thousands of people who have left HIV care and return them to life-saving treatment. The £170 million package also includes funding to scrap HIV testing in emergency departments during routine blood tests in areas with the highest rates, including London and Manchester.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmersaid: “I promised to end HIV transmission in England and Wales by 2030 and we are making this a reality through our action plan, which includes a pioneering new HIV prevention programme, home tests available through the NHS app and the option to opt out of A&E testing.”
There has been a steady decline in HIV diagnoses in England since 2005, but progress has slowed during the pandemic, with testing disrupted and new cases rising. Thanks to new treatments, HIV is now a manageable disease.
There are also approximately one in 10 people living with HIV who are not receiving medical care, according to a National AIDS Foundation report released in September. The latest action plan aims to renew efforts to get people back into treatment and increase testing to ensure transmission continues.
“Today, people living with HIV can lead full, healthy lives and cannot transmit the virus to others. This is remarkable progress,” he said. Wes StreetingMinister of Health. “But we can go further. Stopping new HIV transmissions by 2030 is an ambitious target and our government is committed to achieving it.”
Department of Health and Social Care said they would target around 5,000 people living with HIV who have dropped out of care for reasons including mental health problems, addiction, poverty and fear of judgement. Hospital staff in trusts with an opt-out scheme will receive anti-stigma training so patients can access care without fear of being judged for their HIV status.
A £5 million project has also been announced which will allow people to order home HIV tests through National Health Service application. A new digital service aims to offer those concerned about their sexual health the opportunity to get a test without visiting a clinic.
The plan will also fund formula milk for all babies born to mothers living with HIV who need it as part of HIV prevention efforts.
Professor Susan Hopkins, chief executive of the UK's Health Security Agency, said the latest data showed progress towards the 2030 target, with around 95% of people living with HIV now knowing they have the virus. “However, around 4,700 people remain undiagnosed, including one in three in black African communities, and higher rates of late diagnosis in older age groups,” she said. “People need testing that meets them where they are in a way that makes them feel safe and accessible.”
Hopkins said the government also needs to improve access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medicine that can reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sexual contact by about 99%. PrEP is free on the NHS through sexual health clinics, but research has shown that it can be difficult to access in practice.
“We must make it easy for everyone who wants it to start PrEP, with a particular focus on straight and Black communities who are being left behind by current inequalities,” Hopkins added.
Richard Angell, chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said funding to stop HIV testing would be transformative. “The government has an ambition that is both momentous and historic: England should be the first country in the world to end new cases of HIV,” he said. “This new plan recognizes the scale of the problem and provides the largest new investment in HIV testing and care in decades.”
