Our HIV team marked World AIDS Day by offering patients, staff, visitors and shoppers quick finger prick tests, giving their HIV status in minutes, as well as having discussions about HIV care and prevention and busting myths and misinformation around the virus.

We held stalls at Queen’s Hospital and the Ilford Exchange Shopping Centre to raise awareness of our services and how they’re making a difference in stopping the transmission of HIV. World AIDS Day was also when Health Secretary, Wes Streeting announced the HIV action plan, aiming to end new transmissions in England by 2030.  As part of this, opt-out HIV testing in A&Es are picking up infections earlier.

In our A&Es, every patient is offered a blood test which can detect HIV. It’s their choice whether to have the tests and each week, around 1,800 patients are tested.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, we diagnosed 19 people with HIV through this programme. They were then referred to our sexual health services to get the treatment they need, as well as advice on preventing transmission.

Our Lead HIV Nurse, Brian Thornton, said:

Throughout World AIDS Day we spoke to patients and staff, raising AIDS awareness to help promote open discussions about HIV and the importance of testing and treating patients sooner. 

"It’s essential we break the stigma so people can live long and healthy lives and be able to manage their condition.

HIV clinical nurse specialist, Liam James added:

The opt-out program is an incredible testing strategy to help pinpoint patients who have a positive HIV result so they can get the treatment they need from sexual health services sooner which prevents them becoming more unwell due to not knowing they have the virus.