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Health Secretary Wes Streeting has unveiled a new HIV action plan in a bid to end transmissions in the next five years
Ellie CrabbeSunday 30 November 2025 22:30 GMTComments
open image in galleryHealth Secretary Wes Streeting is launching an HIV action plan (AFP/Getty)
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A new government action plan, backed by £170 million, aims to bring England within reach of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030, the Health Secretary has announced.
Unveiled by Wes Streeting on World Aids Day on Monday, the comprehensive strategy seeks to re-engage individuals who have disengaged from HIV care and tackle the persistent stigma surrounding the virus.
A cornerstone of the plan involves the introduction of opt-out HIV testing in Accident & Emergency departments during routine blood tests.
This initiative will be rolled out in areas with the highest rates of HIV, including London and Manchester, with the aim of identifying thousands of undiagnosed infections among people who might not otherwise attend a sexual health clinic, according to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer affirmed the government's commitment, stating: "I promised to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and we are making this a reality thanks to our action plan, with a groundbreaking new HIV prevention programme, at home tests made available through the NHS app, and delivering opt out testing in emergency departments."
open image in galleryWes Streeting is unveiling his HIV action plan on Monday (PA)Health Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the significant advancements in treatment.
"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," he said.
The DHSC confirmed that the plan will specifically target approximately 5,000 individuals living with HIV who are no longer receiving care, often due to mental health issues, addiction, poverty, or fear of judgement.
To combat stigma, hospital staff in trusts implementing the opt-out scheme will receive anti-stigma training, ensuring patients can access care without fear of discrimination based on their HIV status.
Further enhancing accessibility, a £5 million trial, announced on Sunday, will enable at-risk patients to order home HIV testing kits directly through the NHS App.
This digital service offers a discreet route for those anxious about their sexual health to get tested, receive results securely, and connect with their GP or sexual health clinics from their phone.
Mr Streeting added: "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.
“Our national re-engagement programme, a truly innovative and agile approach, targets the epidemic where it’s growing and leaving no one behind."
open image in galleryKeir Starmer hopes to bring an end to HIV transmissions by 2030 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Anne Aslett, chief executive of The Elton John Aids Foundation, welcomed the plan, particularly the increased funding for opt-out testing, a model her organisation pioneered in 2018.
She noted: "The latest results speak volumes, over 90% of people newly diagnosed in emergency departments had never been tested for HIV before. Smart, targeted investment like this saves lives."
Ms Aslett also praised the £9 million investment in retaining the estimated 12,000 people living with HIV currently out of care, calling it "crucial for keeping people healthy and stopping onward transmission."
However, she cautioned: "But without bold investment in prevention, including making PrEP widely accessible to everyone who needs it, ending new infections will remain out of reach."
Mr Streeting concluded: "Thanks to the work of determined campaigners across our country, ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 – a history making, world changing goal – is within reach. This government will now put its shoulder to the wheel to deliver this change."
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