Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of extending opt-out HIV testing on a nationwide basis.

Equality Ministers maintain a keen interest in the delivery of the Government’s HIV Action Plan, which sets out the ambitious plan to achieve zero new HIV infections in England by 2030 and an interim target of an 80% reduction in new infections by 2025.

The HIV Action Plan sets out how DHSC will maintain progress made with key groups, and significantly improve diagnosis for other groups.

The previous Minister for Equalities, Mike Freer, recently met Professor Kevin Fenton, Regional Director for London in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Chief Advisor on HIV and Chair of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group, to discuss implementation of the HIV Action Plan and how it links to the Government’s ambitions on improving outcomes for LGBT people.

NHS England and NHS Improvement is investing £20 million over the next three years to expand opt-out testing in emergency departments in the highest prevalence local areas to identify new cases of HIV. High prevalence is defined as those areas with five or more cases per 1,000 residents in line with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. DHSC Ministers would be able to respond to more detailed questions.