UK guidance for health workers living with HIV who perform EPPs

14 October 2026. Related: Early access, Guidelines, Hepatitis coinfection.

Simon Collins, HIV i-Base

On 14 October 2026, UKHSA published new draft guidelines for health workers living with HIV who perform exposure-prone procedures (EPPs), with a three-week consultation period.

This will update the 2014 HIV section of integrated guidelines that outline the clearance and monitoring requirements. [2]

The review was prompted ‘by requests from stakeholders, citing updated evidence and changes in clinical practice for managing the health of people living with HIV’.

The circumstances that allow health workers to carry out PPEs include being on stable ART with viral load <50 copies/mL or be an elite controller off-ART with viral load <20 copies/mL.

The guidelines are prepared by the UK Advisory Panel for Healthcare Workers Living with Bloodborne Viruses (UKAP).

The deadline for the consultation period for comments is 8  November 2026.

Reference

1. UKHSA. Proposed update to the management of healthcare workers living with HIV in the UKAP guidance. Open consultation. (Draft 14 October 2026).
   https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ukap-guidance-update-for-healthcare-workers-living-with-hiv/proposed-update-to-the-management-of-healthcare-workers-living-with-hiv-in-the-ukap-guidance
2. BBVs in healthcare workers: health clearance and management
   Guidance for health clearance of healthcare workers (HCWs) and management of those living with bloodborne viruses (BBVs) hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. (2017, updated 2025).
   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bbvs-in-healthcare-workers-health-clearance-and-management