Patients using the Emergency Departments (EDs) at two Black Country hospitals will be offered routine HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C blood tests.
The offer will be made to anyone aged 18 and over who is already having bloods taken for another reason at Walsall Manor and Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospitals.
This automatic testing is part of a national NHS initiative to carry out testing in local areas where these infections have a high prevalence. Patients can choose to opt out if they do not wish to be tested.
Consultants in Walsall and Wolverhampton have welcomed the initiative, which started yesterday (14 October), and say it will help earlier diagnosis and access to treatment, saving lives.
Thousands of people in England are thought to be living with undiagnosed blood–borne viruses (BBV) – HIV, hepatitis B or C.
If diagnosed at an earlier stage all these infections can be treated (or cured in the case of hepatitis C) reducing the risk of developing serious illness or complications (such as liver cirrhosis and cancer or life-threatening HIV-related illness).
Dr Joseph Arumainayagam, Consultant in HIV/Genitourinary Medicine at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “The most recent UK-wide statistics estimate that around 5,000 people are living with HIV infection and do not know they are.
“Of note, 40% of patients diagnosed in 2023 were in the late stages of the infection and 53% of those diagnosed were above 50 years of age. Therefore, it is important to diagnose HIV infection early so that it can be treated thus preventing illnesses that can prove fatal.
“Similarly, Hepatitis B and C, if not diagnosed and treated, can lead to irreversible liver damage with possible development of cancer, which again can be fatal. It is imperative that these infections are diagnosed early and treated to avoid preventable deaths and preserve people’s normal quality of life.”
Dr Radhika McCathie, Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV Services at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “A big part of reducing undiagnosed BBV in communities is opt out testing in Emergency Departments.
“We know that this strategy improves access to testing for whole communities and reduces inequalities in identifying and treating HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Opt out testing was launched in pilot sites with high HIV prevalence (London, Brighton, Manchester and Blackpool) in April 2022. Data collected after 12 months confirmed it to be a huge success, enabling millions of people to be tested easily and identifying more than 5,100 people with a newly diagnosed BBV.
“We are delighted that Wolverhampton and Walsall are now amongst the first few regions in the Midlands to offer this and are confident it will be as successful as the pilot sites.”