House of Commons · Westminster Hall
18 July 2023 · 10 other contributors · 8,843 words
Opened by Nicola Richards Con West Bromwich East
Responding minister: Neil O'Brien
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Nicola Richards raised concerns about hiv action plan annual update 2022-23 — [dame caroline dinenage in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The Minister should confirm that a national expansion of opt-out hepatitis C testing will include HIV and hep B testing. The Department should outline when an innovation in PrEP delivery to improve access for key groups will start, and the Government should consider making PrEP available directly from pharmacies.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The annual update revealed that more than 2,000 people were diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C in the past year. The number of people who have fallen out of the HIV care system since 2015 is estimated to be 22,670 by UK Health Security Agency. Without finding and providing treatment to those lost to care, the ambition of ending new cases of HIV by 2030 cannot be realised.
Andrew Gwynne welcomed the progress made in ending new HIV cases and HIV-related deaths but highlighted challenges such as finding people with undiagnosed HIV, re-engaging those lost to care, and improving access to PrEP. He called for opt-out testing in high-prevalence areas, actions to support individuals back into care, a detailed plan for PrEP access beyond sexual health services, and guarantees that changes to notifiable diseases will not impact anonymity or increase stigma.
Andrew Slaughter intervened to mention the impressive work at 10 Hammersmith Broadway clinic but expressed concern about routine services, such as PrEP provision, being sidelined during emergencies like mpox outbreaks. He urged the Minister to look into this issue in high-prevalence areas.
Ms Caroline Nokes highlighted the disparity in HIV diagnosis rates for women compared to men, emphasising the need to address stigmas and taboos that prevent women from being tested. She advocated for increased access to PrEP through pharmacies and online testing kits. Noting a high prevalence of HIV in her constituency, she called for an expansion of opt-out HIV testing to identify people at risk early, particularly women, black Africans, and older individuals.
David Mundell highlighted the progress made towards reaching the UN's 95-95-95 target in HIV treatment. He stressed that PrEP is crucial for reducing new transmissions of HIV but noted that its accessibility needs to be improved, particularly through better funding and national testing weeks. He also supported opt-out testing as an effective method for identifying cases among hard-to-reach groups.
The MP highlighted the high prevalence of HIV in her constituency, emphasizing the importance of ongoing medical advancements that prevent transmission. She praised the NHS and community groups for their efforts and discussed the need to address disparities in treatment access and late diagnoses among certain demographic groups.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation study found that a small amount of money can return people to care. Sexual health and HIV services are under strain, and the Government needs to provide ringfenced funding. He also mentioned that many people buy PrEP online, suggesting that the Government should follow this trend and allow over-the-counter access with advisory blood tests. The MP intervened to discuss the issue of limited online sexual health testing options, noting that only one in 10 clinics currently offers this service. This limits accessibility for those who cannot visit physical clinics due to work or other commitments.
Expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on HIV action plan. Highlighted the importance of improving access to PrEP, HIV testing, and care in high-prevalence areas like Westminster. Mentioned that St Mary's Hospital in her constituency had diagnosed three people with HIV among others in the first year of the programme. Advocated for expanding opt-out testing and equal access to PrEP through GP surgeries and pharmacies. Pledged support to the Terrence Higgins Trust, praising their work on HIV prevention and treatment.
Mr. Gibson emphasised the importance of HIV testing and PrEP access, noting that late diagnoses remain high in England despite progress in treatment. He highlighted the success of opt-out bloodborne virus testing in emergency departments but called for its expansion to all high prevalence areas. Peter Gibson asked if regional action plans include opt-out testing.
Preet Kaur Gill acknowledged Nicola Richards' work in raising awareness about opt-out testing and the importance of saving lives, money, and reducing pressure on the NHS.
Health practitioners in Blackpool have led the way on opt-out testing and achieving great results. The NHS needs to improve its efforts if it is to meet its targets by 2025.
Government Response
Neil O'BrienI pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich East and other hon. Members present who have played leading roles in campaigning on this issue. We have seen a 33% fall in new HIV diagnoses since 2019, with fewer than 4,500 people living undiagnosed. The Government's chief adviser on HIV chairs the HIV action plan implementation steering group, which meets quarterly to monitor progress and ensure appropriate action is taken. We have invested £33 million to roll out PrEP across sexual health services over the past two years. Research findings will be published soon to help mitigate barriers for underserved groups accessing PrEP. The opt-out testing programme has distributed almost 22,000 free HIV testing kits in partnership with the Terrence Higgins Trust. We are committed to updating Parliament each year on progress towards ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.