Millions should be offered routine HIV testing, experts say

New guidance from the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE) aims to increase testing in people with undiagnosed HIV in England.

Coinciding with World Aids Day, the updated guidance recommends all patients in areas with high and extremely high rates of HIV be offered a test on admission to hospital, if they have not previously been diagnosed with HIV and are undergoing a blood test for another reason. This would cover 3.7 million people.

Additionally, hospitals should offer the tests in extremely high rate areas even if they are not having blood tests as part of their care. GP surgeries in high and extremely high-rate areas should also offer patients an HIV test on registration, which would cover 7.9 million people.

It is estimated that 103,700 people are living with HIV in the UK and 17 per cent of people with the virus are unaware of their infection, so risk unintentionally passing it on to their sexual partners.

There are 20 local authority areas with extremely high prevalence including Manchester, Brighton and Hove and 18 London boroughs. There are 54 local authority areas where HIV rates are classed as high, including Leeds, Birmingham and Newcastle.

Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive of NICE, said: “It is easier than ever before to access testing for HIV, but with thousands living with undiagnosed HIV we know there is much more to do.

“We want to normalise HIV testing so it isn’t viewed any differently from any other blood test. There are now highly effective treatments for HIV and it should no longer be seen with fear or stigma.

“We would like all NHS and community services to think about HIV testing and see what they can do to ensure their organisation can put in place the comprehensive HIV testing we recommend in our new guideline.”

Dr Chloe Orkin, chair of the British HIV Association (BHIVA), added: “We fully support the new HIV testing guidelines, which go much further than ever before in outlining the responsibility of all doctors and nurses working in areas of high and extremely high prevalence to tackle HIV by offering HIV tests to all patients having blood tests in hospitals or GP surgeries. These guidelines also recommend that in areas of extremely high prevalence people should be offered an HIV test whether they are already having blood tests or not.”

Meanwhile, the Elton John Aids Foundation has offered to finance HIV testing for two years in Lambeth, which currently has the highest rate of HIV among local authorities.

David Furnish, chairman of the Elton John Aids Foundation, said: "I believe everyone should have an HIV test. We know we can make a difference in Lambeth, but there is no reason why we can't do this in future in other high-rate areas."