Opt-out testing for HIV and Hepatitis – which was rolled out across Midlands-based hospitals in September this year – is already identifying significant numbers of undiagnosed HIV and Hepatitis in the region.
The testing initiative was introduced in the emergency departments of the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, and Walsall Manor Hospital; following a successful pilot scheme in 33 A&E departments across cities including London, Manchester, Blackpool and Brighton, two years prior.
Dr Ashini Fox, an HIV specialist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Opt-out testing in Emergency Departments transforms public health by identifying undiagnosed cases of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C at the earliest opportunity, reducing transmission and improving outcomes for individuals and communities alike.”
Dr Joseph Arumainayagam, Consultant in HIV/Genitourinary Medicine at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, added: “The most recent UK-wide statistics estimate that around 5,000 people are living with HIV infection and do not know they are. “Of note, 40% of patients diagnosed in 2023 were in the late stages of the infection and 53% of those diagnosed were above 50 years of age. Therefore, it is important to diagnose HIV infection early so that it can be treated thus preventing illnesses that can prove fatal.
In data shared with ITV New Central, it was revealed that, since opt-out testing was introduced in the Midlands, the programme has detected: 8 new cases of HIV, 22 new cases of hepatitis B, and 13 new cases of hepatitis C.
Additionally, it reconnected 5 patients living with HIV, 11 people with hepatitis B, and 7 patients with hepatitis C to clinical services after they had missed out on much-needed follow-up care.
Saving Lives' Medical Director and the Lead HIV consultant at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Dr Steve Taylor, campaigned for years for opt-out testing; which would see thousands of people tested unless they actively declined.
“These results are a testament to the life-changing potential of opt-out testing,” explains Dr Steve Taylor: “Not only are we finding new cases, but we’re also reconnecting patients who have been lost to follow back into clinical care.
“Emergency Departments are often the first and sometimes the only point of healthcare contact for vulnerable populations.
“By implementing opt-out testing, we can definitely save lives, and reduce onwards transmission. Opt-out testing provides another important piece of the jigsaw towards the elimination of these blood-borne viruses by 2030.”
Opt-out testing has also been extended further across the Midlands including to Leicester's Hospital's Emergency Department which joined the screening programme on 25th November 2024, with the aim of testing more than 100,000 people per year for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Kommentare