Councils are to help the Government introduce its new HIV Action Plan, aimed to improve access to testing and treatment, while combatting stigma around seeking support.

As part of the £170m scheme, the Government is striving to end new HIV transmissions in England by 2030, delivered alongside local authorities and the NHS.

To help drive change through the national prevention programme, Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, has emphasised the important function of ‘council-commissioned sexual health clinics, close partnership working, and […] locally tailored HIV plans’.

The Government’s announcement follows the latest UKHSA research on HIV testing, which found that 95% of those living with HIV in England have been diagnosed, but roughly 4,700 people do not know they have the virus.

With a view to ‘re-engage people back into life-saving HIV care and treatment’, the Government has highlighted the importance of providing targeted support to demographics encountering barriers such as stigma, racism, poverty, mental health issues, housing problems, and addiction.

The funding will contribute towards opt-out testing in emergency departments in areas where HIV rates are highest, as well as the rollout of a home testing service through the NHS app, providing a ‘discreet route for those anxious about their sexual health to get tested without visiting a clinic’.

It will also deliver anti-stigma training for hospital workers and a national HIV prevention programme which provides information about safer sex, testing and treatment to groups most impacted by the virus.

According to the Government, the plan must ensure support reaches groups most at need, including ethnic minority heterosexual populations and individuals aged 50 years and over, closing the current gaps in testing and late diagnosis rates.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: ‘HIV treatment has been transformed. Today, people living with HIV can enjoy full, healthy lives - and can’t pass the virus on to others. That’s remarkable progress. But we can go further. Ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 is ambitious - and this government is determined to make it happen.

‘Our national re-engagement programme, a truly innovative and agile approach, targets the epidemic where it’s growing and leaving no one behind. We’ll bring people into life-saving care and find infections early, when treatment works best, so everyone can live the full, healthy life they deserve.’

Cllr Taylor added: ‘Local government, the NHS, and our wider partners must continue working together to ensure equitable access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment. This includes reaching underserved communities, supporting innovative approaches such as opt-out testing and a push on tackling HIV stigma in health and social care.’

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, commented: ‘People need testing that meets them where they are, in ways that feel safe and accessible.

‘We need to make starting PrEP straightforward for anyone who wants it, with particular focus on heterosexual and Black communities who are being failed by current disparities. And when someone is diagnosed, they should get consistent, respectful support that helps them stay on treatment and stay engaged in care.’