A Liverpool MP’s call for HIV testing to become the standard in the city’s A&E departments has been rejected.
Dan Carden MP had written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, to ask for the funding necessary for what’s known as ‘opt-out’ testing for HIV at Liverpool’s hospitals, as the city is classed as an area of high HIV prevalence.
The Labour representative for Walton’s campaign - which was backed by Liverpool’s oldest LGBTQ+ charity, Sahir House - aimed to drive down local rates of undiagnosed HIV.
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However, the government has rejected the idea of extending the scheme to the likes of Liverpool - at least for now until they “consider all the evidence from the first year of opt-out HIV and blood-borne testing in emergency departments”, according to Health Minister Neil O'Brien.
Mr Carden told the ECHO of his disappointment. He said: “The government’s own HIV Action Plan says it is essential to extend opt-out testing in high prevalence areas, however no additional funding or plan has been announced.
“The results in high prevalence areas show that this scheme pays for itself, reduces infection rates and saves lives. I am calling on the government to be guided by the evidence and make this critical investment now in order to achieve the 2030 goal.”
The UK’s government hopes to end all new HIV transmissions by seven years' time- making them one of the first countries to reach the UN zero-infections target by 2030. HIV charities such as Terrence Higgins Trust and Sahir House believe the proactive approach of ‘opt-out’ testing is crucial for achieving this goal.
Ant Hopkinson, CEO of Sahir House, said: “We know that opt-out testing in emergency departments is very effective in identifying and linking to care those people living with HIV who were unaware of their status.
“Whilst we understand the Government’s rationalisation for prioritising investment in the highest prevalence local authority areas, we do not want the great progress that Liverpool has made towards ending new HIV transmissions to be stalled. The reality is that Liverpool remains an area of defined high prevalence -with two cases per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 59. This is two cases per 1000 residents too many.
“Whilst we await a change in national plans and prioritisation, I know that everyone involved in HIV prevention and support locally will be working together to seek other funding opportunities to trial emergency departments' HIV opt-out testing in the City at the earliest possible juncture.”
Mr Carden’s call for action came after the results of the first 600 days of opt-out HIV testing in areas classed as having ‘very high’ HIV prevalence were released, including areas like London, Blackpool, Brighton and Manchester.
In just six months – thanks to £20m funding from the Government – relevant A&Es diagnosed 102 people with HIV, as well as finding a further 60 people who knew they were HIV positive but weren’t engaged with services.
Mr Carden wants to see the same progress achieved in Liverpool.
Those diagnosed via opt-out testing in Accident & Emergency were more like to be heterosexual, women and of Black ethnicity than those diagnosed in sexual health departments.
Mr Carden previously claimed “these results mean the initiative has already paid for itself as those undiagnosed will likely present with a complication relating to HIV at a later date – and add additional cost to the health system”.
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