Over 1,000 people in Bedford not tested for HIV

Opportunities to screen for HIV are being missed in Bedford with more than 1,000 people not offered or declining a test at sexual health clinics.

A new report from the HIV Commission highlights that more than half a million people across England missed out on a test in 2019. It wants everyone who undertakes a blood test in the NHS to be offered HIV screening.

Public Health England (PHE) figures show 5,149 people had the opportunity to be tested for HIV at specialist sexual health clinics in Bedford in 2019 – but 1,267 were not.

However, the rate of patients getting tested did rise from 67.2 per cent in 2018 to 75.4 per cent last year.

Across England, there were more than half a million (538,016) missed opportunities to test people during this period – with almost half of those not offered a test, and the rest declining.

The HIV Commission's report said screening all blood for HIV, regardless of a patient's gender, ethnicity or sexuality, could help eliminate new cases by 2030.

It said that it is vital testing becomes standard practice when registering for a GP, at cervical screenings, in pharmacies and in accident and emergency departments.

Dame Inga Beale, chairwoman of the commission, said: “Zero new HIV cases in England by 2030 isn’t a pipedream or social media-friendly date plucked from the air – it’s 100 per cent achievable.

“Our vision for 2030 is a realistic one. It will require a significant increase in funding to enable the much-needed step change in HIV testing across our healthcare systems, but will save our NHS money in the long run."

The charity coalition, which includes the Terrence Higgins Trust, National AIDS Trust and Elton John AIDS Foundation, said an estimated 5,900 people in England are living with undiagnosed HIV – which increases their risk of passing on the virus without knowing.

The PHE figures also showed the rate of new HIV diagnoses in Bedford was nine cases per 100,000 people aged 15 and over.

This was above the average across the country, of eight per 100,000.

A Bedford Borough Council spokesperson said: “Latest figures show that HIV testing coverage in Bedford borough has increased from 67.2 per cent to 75.4 per cent from 2018 to 2019. Emerging figures show further increases in testing coverage in 2020.

"In some groups we’ve seen testing coverage reach 93.8 per cent, an all-time high. However there remain a number of reasons why people who access sexual health services don’t get tested including having recently been tested or where an individual is already diagnosed as HIV positive.

"It remains vitally important that if you have any concerns regarding your sexual health you get tested. Tests can be accessed at www.icash.nhs.uk"

Sir Elton said: “One thing we’ve learned this year is the importance of testing and testing for HIV is at the core of ending new cases of HIV in England.

“Making HIV testing available and normalised throughout the health service not only means people can be treated but by testing becoming routine, this removes some of the stigma that’s holding us back."

Speaking in the House of Commons, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said tackling the coronavirus pandemic must not get in the way of ending new HIV transmissions across all groups in England by 2030.