nice : declared in HIV testing should be seen as routine practice, says NICE in new draft quality standard

By offering HIV testing in these settings, it will help to reduce the stigma associated with HIV and ensure that an HIV test is regarded as routine. This needs to change so that HIV testing is seen as routine practice. The new draft quality standard aims to improve the uptake of HIV testing among adults (aged 18 and over) and young people (aged 16-18) who may have undiagnosed HIV. Professor Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health and Social Care at NICE, said: "There can be stigma and fear around having an HIV test. The final quality standard is due to publish in August 2017.

Routine HIV testing could result in 11 million more people getting checked

"This new draft quality standard sets out clear, practical steps to help encourage and increase uptake of HIV testing," Professor Leng added. The deputy chief executive of NICE, Professor Gillian Leng said: "There can still be stigma and fear around having an HIV test. If followed, the guidelines would make HIV testing an opt-out option for patients, and anyone with an indicating condition would be referred to a test. Thanks to a new guideline document issued by NICE – which includes routine testing for HIV, as well as during emergency visits – it could help test 11.6 million people in a bid to end HIV stigma. This needs to change so that HIV testing is seen as routine."Many celebrities have already helped towards ending stigma by taking tests, including Prince Harry and Rihanna.


The draft quality standard has six statements and is intended to help "reduce the stigma" associated with HIV and ensure that an HIV test is "regarded as routine". There are 20 local authority areas with extremely high prevalence of HIV including Manchester, Brighton and Hove, and 18 London boroughs. Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said: "There can still be stigma and fear around having an HIV test. The recommendations contained in the draft care standard back up latest NICE guidance on HIV testing, which was published in December. In addition, they suggest such patients living in "high or extremely high prevalence areas" should be offered an HIV test when registering with a GP or having a blood test if they have not had an HIV test in the last 12 months.


collected by :Lucy William
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