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From today, all patients aged 16 and over attending the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham’s emergency department will be routinely tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections if they are already having a blood test taken.  

Following  the successful introduction of this approach in 34 other emergency departments nationwide, it is now being expanded to a further 47 sites across the UK with Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham’s emergency department being the first in the city to begin testing.

Testing at Heartlands and Good Hope Hospitals Emergency Departments will begin later in the year.

Dr Steve Taylor, Lead HIV consultant at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and Clinical Director for the Birmingham Fast Track Cities’ initiative said of the new programme: “This will be an absolute game-changer for Birmingham, the West Midlands and other cities around the UK joining the programme.

“Early diagnosis of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C is crucial, as for all of these infections, it can be years before a person might show any signs or symptoms, by which time, significant damage to their bodies may have already occurred.  Our current medications are lifesaving for HIV and hepatitis B, and we can even cure hepatitis C. 

“Successful treatment of HIV means a person cannot pass the virus on to their sexual partners, they may have children, and can expect to live long and healthy lives. Unfortunately, the converse is true with late diagnosis of hepatitis B and C, with both being associated with much higher levels of life-threatening infections, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.”

All results will be handled in confidence by a dedicated team of healthcare professionals specialising in HIV and hepatitis testing and treatment. Patients will not need to do anything extra. If they are already having blood tests taken, they will automatically be tested unless they opt out.   

Dr Victoria Siddons, Emergency Department consultant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham said: “This is a fantastic programme, and long overdue; we simply want to normalise testing for BBVs as much as possible. It should just be routine as it is for all pregnant women.  The benefits of early diagnosis are very clear. 

“Routine opt-out testing for HIV and hepatitis for everyone already having bloods taken in the emergency departments of our hospitals is likely to identify hundreds of people who are unknowingly carrying these viruses.”