HIV and hepatitis screening pilot to launch at Kettering General Hospital

The year-long pilot project – due to start at the Kettering hospital next month (November 2024) – is the second phase of a national study by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

This is due to be carried out at 47 sites across the country and in Northamptonshire, it is a collaboration between KGH and Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust.

As an opt-out screening study, it means all patients attending KGH’s emergency department who are aged 18 and above and need a blood test will receive screening unless they ask to opt-out, in a similar way to the screening of all pregnant women for blood borne viruses.

The results of the screening will be anonymised and used for research – only those with reactive tests for HIV or Hepatitis B and C will be contacted for further testing and specialist support from Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (for HIV) and KGH (for Hepatitis B and C).

Dr Sophie Herbert, a consultant with NHFT’s sexual health services, said: “At a national level early research from the first phase of the study in other centres shows that opt-out testing is proving to be effective both in identifying and providing care to people with blood-borne infections like HIV and hepatitis who were unaware of their diagnosis or had become disengaged with care.

“By normalising testing as part of an emergency department (ED) attendance when blood is drawn, we help reduce stigma for these conditions and reach patients who might not otherwise come forward.

“It will also help reduce the number of people presenting with late infections and help reduce their prevalence in our communities.”

In the long-term, it is hoped most hospitals will offer screening in their emergency departments and support the World Health Organisation’s 2030 goals of zero transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis.

Opt-out testing of this kind has already been done in some trusts in emergency departments across the country and HIV testing has been ongoing in KGH in patients who are admitted to hospital between 16 and 59-years-old since 2015.

KGH will be part of an expansion of the screening and research programme testing in ED departments.

Northamptonshire has been chosen as it has local authority areas with a high prevalence of HIV with 2 (North Northamptonshire) and 2.5 (West Northamptonshire) cases per 1,000.

Northamptonshire hospitals are contributing to the national research through providing data about the testing. This includes the number of patients who test positive for undiagnosed blood-borne viruses.

All research data shared is anonymised; there will be no link to people’s names or identity.

Northampton General Hospital also plans to launch testing later this year.

It is hoped the expansion of testing into emergency departments will enable more patients to be identified and treated for these conditions as early as possible to reduce the impact on their health and long-term costs for the NHS.

It would also help reduce the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C and HIV in our communities.

The implementation of the expanded testing programme will be funded via £20 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).