After it was announced by Health Secretary, Victoria Atkins, that a new £20m programme would roll out opt-out blood tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C across 46 hospitals in England, Birmingham charity Saving Lives celebrated this great step in early diagnosis and treatment.
Saving Lives strongly welcomes the government’s decision to fund opt-out A&E HIV testing which “will significantly improve detection rates of HIV, and therefore the health outcomes of those living with the virus,” explains a press release from the organisation.
“Until now, to test someone in A&E for HIV has required their consent. This has led to many refusing to be tested for the virus, and has proven a barrier to testing as many people as possible for HIV.”
“The government’s decision today will have a material impact in places like our home city of Birmingham. Saving Lives has been at the forefront of campaigning in the region for opt-out testing, and this collaborative effort across healthcare, local government and the third sector to demonstrate to Westminster of the importance of this action has been a great example of what we can do if we come together.”
Saving Lives’ Medical Director, Dr Steve Taylor, added: “I am absolutely delighted with this news. It’s an absolute game-changer for Birmingham, the West Midlands and other cities around the UK.
“If we can successfully introduce routine opt out HIV and Hepatitis testing for everyone already having bloods taken in the Emergency Departments of our Hospitals, I know we will diagnose literally hundreds of people who are unknowingly carrying these viruses.
“What does this mean? It means that, instead of people presenting to our services with advanced, life-threatening infections such as liver cirrhosis or liver cancer, they can be diagnosed early and receive life-saving and life-changing treatments, have a normal life expectancy, and become non-infectious to their sexual partners.
“In Birmingham in the last year, we saw over 100 newly diagnosed people living with HIV attend our services. Most of these have been diagnosed through sexual health services or diagnosed very late when they are already very sick in hospital. With the introduction of opt-out A&E testing, I am confident that we will see an increase the numbers of people we diagnose in Birmingham, but hopefully at an earlier stage so we can reduce the numbers presenting very late with life threatening illness.
“We need to normalise testing if we are to achieve the Birmingham Fast Track Cities Initiative targets of eliminating new cases of HIV and Hepatitis in Birmingham by 2030. By routinely testing everybody who is already having a blood test in A and E for HIV and Hepatitis we can also begin to remove the stigma around testing for HIV that still exists. It’s a win win situation people will be diagnosed earlier and can receive lifesaving treatment, and we can stop the onwards transmission of HIV.”
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