Opt-out blood borne virus testing, will be commencing in Leeds General Infirmary and St James University Hospital Emergency Departments from Monday 23rd September 2024.
People aged 16 years and older who attend Emergency Departments in Leeds and have bloods taken as part of their routine care will additionally be tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C unless they decline.
Opt-out blood borne virus (BBV) testing, in emergency departments (EDs) has been standard care in 34 very high HIV prevalence sites since 2021. In the first 18 months more than 4,000 people were found to have a BBV. The programme has proven a crucial way of tackling health inequalities, disproportionately finding treatable infections in women, older people and people of Black African ethnicity – all groups who are more likely to be diagnosed late in other services.
Leeds has a high prevalence of HIV and so NICE guidelines recommend that opt-out HIV testing should also take place in our local emergency departments. In November 2023, the decision was taken by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to fund the expansion of HIV opt-out testing to an additional 47 emergency department sites where HIV prevalence is high, starting from April 2024, for one year. Leeds General Infirmary and St James University Hospital Emergency Departments are two of these 47.
Between 1% and 1.5% of adults in Leeds have one or more of these infections. Most do not realise they have been at risk, feel completely well for many years before developing advanced disease and/or unknowingly passing these infections on to their partners, and have never had the opportunity to test. All three infections, once known about, can be effectively managed, or cured. Patients who test positive for any of the blood-borne viruses will be offered specialist support and have a treatment plan put in place.
This testing initiative also supports our Leeds Fast-Track City goals and will help us achieve our shared ambition and commitment across local authority, third sector and NHS partners in Leeds to achieve: Zero new HIV infections and HIV related deaths, Zero new viral hepatitis infections, Zero new TB infections and Zero stigma related to all these infections in Leeds by 2030.
Dr. Sarah Schoeman, GUM Consultant Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust & Leeds Fast-Track City Leadership Group Chair said, “Normalising BBV testing is essential – it saves lives and helps tackle the stigma associated with these infections. We are so pleased and proud that we are able to offer routine testing for these important infections within our Leeds Emergency Departments again.”
