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World AIDS Day, now in its 37th year, exists to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, to promote prevention and testing, and support efforts to improve access to treatment and care globally. This year significant progress is being made to realise these ambitions within the NHS through the successes being made through the implementation of routine testing within emergency departments.

Routine opt-out blood borne virus (BBV) testing, which is live in 79 emergency departments across England, covers more than half of all major emergency departments in the country and is helping to identify and support thousands of people who might otherwise go undiagnosed.

Since September 2024, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) has been part of this national programme, implementing opt-out BBV testing for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in its emergency departments. The initiative which began at Queen Elizabeth Hospital was later expanded to Heartlands and Good Hope Hospitals in March of 2025. Using a single blood sample taken during routine emergency care, this approach has streamlined the identification of BBVs and improved access to treatment for those affected.

Since the programme began University Hospitals Birmingham has delivered 278,940 BBV tests across its emergency departments. Of those, 195 people have been newly diagnosed with a BBV, including 75 with Hepatitis C, 97 with Hepatitis B, and 23 with HIV.

In addition, 150 clinically significant cases, where individuals were known to have a BBV but were not in care, have now been identified and linked to appropriate treatment and support.

Dr Steve Taylor, Lead HIV Consultant at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and Clinical Director for the Birmingham Fast Track Cities+ initiative, reflected on the achievements so far: “The global initiative of Fast Track Cities is a real opportunity for committing to the targets of eliminating HIV, Hep B, Hep C and TB by 2030 across the city and the combined figures achieved by the Trust’s teams involved so far are a significant step in that direction. They help highlight the vital work being done in improving patient outcomes and reducing the spread of infection.”