'Significant' numbers of undiagnosed HIV and Hepatitis found in Midlands hospitals

A groundbreaking opt-out blood testing programme has identified “significant numbers” of people living with undiagnosed HIV and hepatitis in the Midlands, ITV News Central can reveal.

The testing initiative has been introduced in the emergency departments of the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, and Walsall Manor Hospital.

Thousands of patients attending A&E at these hospitals have been tested unless they actively declined.

The scheme, first launched by NHS England two years ago in 33 A&E departments across cities such as London, Manchester, Blackpool, and Brighton, uncovered more than 4,000 cases of undiagnosed blood-borne viruses.

Its success led to the expansion of the programme across the Midlands, with Queen’s Medical Centre being the first to go live under the new rollout three months ago.

Data shared exclusively with ITV News Central shows since its introduction to the Midlands, the programme has detected:

• 8 new cases of HIV

• 22 new cases of hepatitis B

• 13 new cases of hepatitis C

Additionally, it reconnected 5 patients living with HIV, 11 people with hepatitis B, and 7 patients with hepatitis C to clinical services after they had been lost to follow-up care.

The programme aims to improve access to testing while reducing the stigma associated with blood-borne viruses, ultimately saving lives.

Early diagnosis is key, as many people with blood-borne viruses are unaware of their status until symptoms become severe.

Dr Ashini Fox, an HIV specialist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Opt-out testing in Emergency Departments transforms public health by identifying undiagnosed cases of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C at the earliest opportunity, reducing transmission and improving outcomes for individuals and communities alike.”

By making testing routine, it removes barriers to diagnosis and ensures equitable access to care, addressing the hidden epidemics of blood-borne viruses.

“These results are a testament to the life-changing potential of opt-out testing,” said Dr Steve Taylor Clinical lead for the opt out testing program at University Hospitals Birmingham .

“Not only are we finding new cases, but we’re also reconnecting patients who have been lost to follow back into clinical care.

“Emergency Departments are often the first and sometimes the only point of healthcare contact for vulnerable populations.

“By implementing opt-out testing, we can definitely save lives, and reduce onwards transmission. Opt out testing provides another important piece of the jigsaw towards the elimination of these blood borne viruses by 2030”