PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(4 December 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people with diagnosed HIV who are not currently in care; what research it has conducted into the reasons for disengagement from care; and what funding is available to support programmes aimed at re-engaging such people with HIV services.

Asked by:
Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has estimated that the number of people with diagnosed HIV who are not currently in care, which is defined as not attending care for at least 15 months, in 2023 was 4,960. This represents 5.3% of people diagnosed with HIV.

A retention and re-engagement in HIV care task and finish group was established in 2023, that considered the available research and evidence. This included the UKHSA Positive Voices survey, which presents key indicators for HIV stigma, which are closely linked to retention and disengagement from care. This work is being considered as part of the development of the new HIV Action Plan, which we plan to publish in summer 2025.

As part of the HIV Action Plan, NHS England invested £20 million for the roll out of the Blood Borne Viruses opt-out Emergency Department testing programme in extremely high HIV prevalence areas, which helped identify and re-engage more than 1,300 individuals with HIV services during its first 28 months. A further investment of £20 million was provided by the Department to evaluate the expansion of the programme to 46 high prevalence emergency departments in England.

On 28 November 2024 the Prime Minister announced further funding of £27 million for the extension of the HIV Opt-Out Testing Programme in 2025/26. 10% of this funding and of the second £20 million is assigned to peer support, delivered by the voluntary and community sector, and is aimed at linking and retaining people in care.

Answered by:
()

1 January 1970