GovWire

New funding to bolster the governments pledge to end all new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 were announced today by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at a reception in No10 to mark World AIDS Day attended by campaigners and public health experts.

Speaking at the event ahead of World AIDS Day [1 December] the Prime Minister confirmed 27 million as part of an expanded highly successful NHS emergency department opt-out testing programme, which is expected to change and save thousands of lives.

This will support the governments mission of ending new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030 which will be driven forwards with a new HIV Action Plan ensuring those with diagnoses can access treatment and stop onward transmission.

Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, will say:

With this government, you will not be alone in the fight against HIV. We will stand together for as long as it takes both in memory of those we have lost, and in support those who are living with HIV today.

Im determined that this generation will be the one that ends new cases of HIV within England by 2030.

At the reception the PM thanked the ongoing work of campaigners, including the Terrence Higgins Trust, National AIDS Trust and the Elton John AIDS Foundation among others. As well as vital and successful work to raise awareness of, and end the stigma around, HIV/AIDS, the charities have been instrumental in helping to shape the governments upcoming refreshed HIV Action Plan.

To ensure targets are met, and to deliver on its manifesto commitment, the government will develop a new HIV Action Plan, due to be published in summer 2025.

NHS Englands emergency department opt-out testing programme, whereby all blood tests in emergency departments are automatically tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C unless a patient opts-out, has been hugely successful.

During the first 24months of thebloodbourne viruses (BBVs) opt-out testing programme, 34 emergency departments conducted 2,018,943 HIV tests, 1,535,707 Hepatitis C virus tests and 1,221,961 Hepatitis B virus tests, significantly increasing the number of BBV tests conducted in England each year.

Analysis from 21 of the 34 emergency departments participating in the programme identified:

• 1,957 people were newly diagnosed with Hepatitis B
• 762 people were newly diagnosed with Hepatitis C
• 391 people with HIV (new HIV diagnoses data is only available to December 2023)

The testing is important to address health inequalities by reaching groups, such as people from ethnic minorities or women, who are less likely to attend sexual health services and may be disproportionately affected both by higher rates of some BBVs and stigma associated with BBV testing or diagnosis.

Anne Aslett, Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said:

Ahead of World AIDS Day, we welcome the UK governments announcement today to provide 27 million in funding for opt-out testing in accident and emergency departments across England an approach the Elton John AIDS Foundation first piloted with our partners inLondonboroughs in 2018. If we are to reach our shared goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030, we need to find the estimated4,700 people living with undiagnosed HIV in the England and support the 11,000 people who are already diagnosed but who are either not in HIV care, not treated or not supported to achieve an undetectable viral load.

We are also hugely encouraged to see the government take a stand on the international stage and invest a further 37 million in the global HIV/AIDS response. Five decades on from when the AIDS epidemic started, someone still loses their life to AIDS-related causes every minute and its imperative that we start treating HIV like any other chronic illness and ensure that everyone has access to the prevention, care, treatment they need here in the UK and around the globe. We have the tools and the knowledge to end HIV, what we need now is investment in the right programmes and to end the stigma and discrimination that surrounds this disease if we are to finally end AIDS for all.

Robbie Currie, Chief Executive Officer at National AIDS Trust, said:

We strongly welcome the governments confirmation of 27 million to fund continued opt-out testing for HIV in hospital emergency departments. As the figures released today illustrate, this is an effective way of making sure that people receive a timely diagnosis and are able to begin the treatment that will keep them healthy as soon as possible.

It is important to acknowledge, however, that this increase in diagnoses means that we will need to make sure that the NHS is adequately funded and equipped to offer that life-saving treatment to all, and that existing health inequalities are addressed. This will be vital, as part of the new HIV Action Plan for England, if we are going to achieve the commitment to ending new transmissions by 2030, as pledged today by the Prime Minister.

Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust said:

This significant investment is a brilliant first step from a government with a manifesto commitment to end new HIV cases by 2030. The programme extension will fund millions more HIV tests in England next year. 81 A&Es taking an opt-out approach to HIV testing will save lives, tackle inequalities and save money.

This is a promising sign that the government is serious when it says the new HIV Action Plan for England will get us on track to end new HIV cases by 2030. Britain might be in pole position to be first country to end the HIV epidemic but countries like France, the Netherlands and Australia are hot on our heels. We must meet our ambition with yet more action, including more funding for over-stretched sexual health services this announcement today is a sign the government gets that.

In recognition of the UKs leading role in work to help end transmissions globally, the Prime Minister set out new funding to tackle barriers to accessing vital sexual and reproductive healthcare, including to HIV testing, prevention and management servic

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