NHS hospitals in England will automatically screen patients for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, unless they choose to opt out. This initiative will take place in nearly 90 Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments across the country, as reported by the BBC.

In a significant move, the government has announced a £27 million expansion of this program to include 30 additional hospitals. Officials anticipate that this could facilitate early treatment for approximately 1,900 individuals diagnosed with HIV each year.

Data from NHS England reveals a 40% increase in the identification of blood-borne infections following the pilot program’s launch in November 2023 under the previous Conservative government.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, emphasized that this “innovative opt-out testing” initiative will enable the timely identification of “thousands more cases of HIV and Hepatitis B and C.”

The expansion means this testing program will be accessible in nearly every region of England.

Its purpose is to identify infections in individuals who typically would not undergo testing in sexual health clinics.

Information from NHS England indicated that the opt-out approach has resulted in 7,300 newly diagnosed cases of blood-borne viruses, including over 1,000 instances of HIV, 4,600 of Hepatitis B, and 1,600 of Hepatitis C.

The previous phase of the program, which was expanded to 59 hospitals, observed a 43% increase in identified infections over ten months compared to the equivalent period two years prior.

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is responsible for diminishing the immune system’s function. If not treated, it may progress to stage four HIV or AIDS, characterized by a range of illnesses triggered by the virus.

According to NHS guidelines, Hepatitis B and C lead to liver inflammation and are caused by viral infections. Both can be transmitted through blood contact with infected individuals.

Health officials have hailed this opt-out testing for blood-borne viruses as a significant success for the NHS, although the latest hospitals participating in the initiative have not yet been disclosed.

The BBC has learned that health leaders aspire to broaden the scope of opt-out testing to uncover more diseases in the future.

Sean Connaughton from London shared with the BBC that he “would have been dead” without the opt-out testing program.

He is among the many individuals who discovered their HIV status thanks to this initiative.

In October 2023, he visited the hospital after experiencing seizures and losing 20 kg (44 pounds) due to persistent illness.

“Had I not gone to A&E and taken the test, I would never have known about my diagnosis,” Mr. Connaughton stated.

Without that diagnosis, medical professionals informed him that “some other infections could have progressed to my spine and brain.”

“Just two days before being admitted, I had a seizure in the bathroom that caused me to hit my head on the basin and faint, meaning my body was deteriorating,” he explained.

“I don’t believe I would have survived another couple of weeks without the test.”

Richard Angell, CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a sexual health charity, declared that opt-out testing represents a “benefit for everyone involved.”

He noted that this method ensures tests reach individuals who otherwise might never seek out HIV screening.

This change can significantly transform an individual’s life by allowing them to begin treatment, effectively stopping the virus from harming their immune system and preventing transmission during sexual contact or childbirth.

Mr. Angell added that early testing is also financially beneficial for the NHS as it facilitates timely interventions that halt HIV progression, thereby averting serious health issues, emergency visits, and expensive treatments.

This testing initiative aligns with Sir Keir Starmer’s commitment to eliminate new HIV transmissions by 2030.

Earlier this week, Sir Keir made history as the first sitting Prime Minister to publicly undergo an HIV test.