HIV-positive man welcomes A&E blood testing

Allan's HIV is now undetectable thanks to an early diagnosis

A man living with HIV believes a new initiative to test people for the virus when they visit A&E will help save lives.

Patients aged 16 and over who receive blood tests while at Royal Berkshire Hospital's (RBH) emergency department will also be checked for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

The hospital in Reading is in a "high-prevalence" area for the blood-borne viruses, and has become one of 47 across the country running the opt-out tests.

Allan, from Maidenhead, said because he was diagnosed early, effective medication meant the virus was now undetectable and not transmittable.

'I thought my life was over'

Speaking about his HIV-positive status publicly for the first time, Allan wants to challenge the stigma around it.

"I can understand some of the ignorance because I myself was ignorant until I got it and I learned a little bit more about it", he said.

"Initially, it affected me a lot because I isolated and I thought my life was over."

But now he said the virus had minimal impact on his life and only crossed his mind when he took his medication.

"It's the people that don't know they've got HIV that are the ones that pass it around, unknowingly," he said.

"Once you know then you can do something about it. Why would you not want to know?"

Dr Alan Tang wants to help diagnose people who may have no idea they are infected

The scheme has also been expanded to other hospitals across the south, including Southampton General Hospital, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Poole Hospital and Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.

Patients can opt out of the additional checks by telling a member of A&E staff.

But RBH consultant physician Dr Alan Tang hopes most will realise the benefits of having their HIV status checked for free and confidentially.

"I think people are not diagnosed partly because they think they are low risk or have no risk at all," he said.

"So we are looking at people who have no idea they could have been HIV infected and, therefore, they could pass it on and become sick."

Rise in heterosexual referrals

The most recent NHS data from 2023 shows a 15% rise in HIV cases across England, up from 2,451 to 2,810.

Sarah Macadam, chief executive of Thames Valley Positive Support, expects the A&E testing will lead to an increase in demand for the Slough-based HIV charity.

"We're aware that more people will be diagnosed with HIV and, therefore, more people will need our support," she said.

"The highest rise in new referrals for us is heterosexual people - that's the biggest group that we see coming through our doors in need of support, having been diagnosed."

The blood samples collected in Reading will be analysed in the pathology labs at St Peter's Hospital in Surrey

Consultant microbiologist at RBH, Dr George Jacob, said even though HIV was not curable it was very treatable with early detection and diagnosis.

"With HIV and hepatitis B, there's very good anti-viral treatment available that can suppress the disease, enable patients with the infection to live long, productive lives, with very limited complications," he said.

The government has said it wants to end new HIV transmissions in England by 2030.