A&E adopts opt-out HIV testing in London, Manchester, Salford and Brighton
2 May 2022. Related: HIV prevention and transmission.
Simon Collins, HIV i-Base
From April 2022, A&E departments in hospitals in key areas of high HIV prevalence will move to opt-out HIV testing.
This means that when blood is drawn, HIV will be included for all adults age 16 and over, unless the person opts-out.
This policy has been discussed for many years and was outlined in a policy paper in December. [1]
This was one of the recommendations from joint UK testing guidelines (including by BHIVA) published in 2020. It is also recommended by the HIV Commission last year as part of the target to end new infections by 2030, and as part of the fast-track cities initiative. [2, 3, 4]
Testing for hepatitis B and C are due to be added later this year, together with hopefully wider roll-out to other cities.
References
- Gov.uk. Towards Zero: the HIV Action Plan for England – 2022 to 2025 (21 December 2021).
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-zero-the-hiv-action-plan-for-england-2022-to-2025 - BHIVA/BASHH/BIA Adult HIV Testing Guidelines (2000)
https://www.bhiva.org/file/5f68c0dd7aefb/HIV-testing-guidelines-2020.pdf (PDF) - HIV Commission. How we expanded opt-out HIV testing. (19 April 2022).
https://www.hivcommission.org.uk/2022/04/19/how-we-expanded-opt-out-hiv-testing - Fast Track Cities. Blood testing in all London emergency departments. (23 March 2020).
https://fasttrackcities.london/testinginae