🩺 HIV Testing Week

• HIV Testing Week and Awareness: The debate highlighted the significance of National HIV Testing Week, aimed at raising awareness and promoting regular HIV testing, especially among groups most affected by HIV. The campaign is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered by the Terrence Higgins Trust.

• Advancements in Treatment: The discussion emphasized advancements in HIV treatment, noting that with current treatments, individuals diagnosed with HIV can lead normal lives and cannot transmit the virus. This progress was contrasted with the past when HIV diagnosis often meant a death sentence.

• Encouraging Testing: MPs encouraged everyone to take advantage of the free home testing kits available during the campaign, highlighting their simplicity and privacy. The Prime Minister publicly taking an HIV test was mentioned as a significant step in normalising and destigmatising the process.

• Opt-out Testing Success: The success of opt-out HIV testing in emergency departments was discussed, noting its effectiveness in identifying undiagnosed cases and its potential to significantly reduce new transmissions. The government’s commitment to expanding this program was highlighted.

• Challenges in Scotland and Wales: The debate pointed out disparities in HIV testing approaches across the UK, particularly in Scotland where opt-out testing has not been adopted in high-prevalence areas like Glasgow and Edinburgh. Wales was noted for providing year-round home testing kits but lagging in opt-out testing.

• Local and Community Efforts: Contributions from local governments and community organizations were praised for their role in promoting testing, reducing stigma, and supporting those affected by HIV. Specific examples from councils in Lambeth and Brighton were mentioned.

• Global Perspective: The importance of supporting international efforts to combat HIV was raised, with concerns about the reduction of US aid and its potential impact on global HIV rates. The UK’s role in supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria was emphasized.

• Future Goals: The overarching goal of ending new HIV cases in the UK by 2030 was a focal point, with discussions on what needs to be done to achieve this, including increasing testing, ensuring access to treatment like PrEP, and addressing stigma and health inequalities.

• Government Response and Action Plan: The Minister for Secondary Care outlined the government’s plans to continue supporting the national HIV prevention program, expanding opt-out testing, and developing a new HIV action plan for England. The commitment to increasing the public health grant was also mentioned as crucial for these efforts.

• Personal Stories and Impact: MPs shared personal experiences and stories to humanize the issue, emphasizing the importance of testing and treatment in transforming lives and the urgent need to maintain momentum toward the 2030 goal.

The session on HIV Testing Week exhibited a very low level of disagreement among participants. The primary focus of the discussion was on the importance of HIV testing, the progress made in HIV prevention, and the ongoing efforts needed to meet the 2030 goal of ending new HIV transmissions in the UK. Throughout the session, members from different parties expressed a unified front in support of expanding and normalizing HIV testing. They acknowledged past progress and committed to future action with a shared goal.

Examples of the lack of disagreement include: - David Mundell (Conservative) and Florence Eshalomi (Labour) agreed on the significance of the Prime Minister’s public testing for reducing stigma and normalizing the process. - Jim Dickson (Labour) commended David Mundell for securing the debate and expressed support for the government’s goal of ending new HIV cases by 2030. - Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour) echoed calls for more funding and supported the efforts to increase testing and reduce stigma, showing alignment with other participants’ sentiments. - Siân Berry (Green) also supported the efforts to increase testing and reduce stigma, complementing the work of the Terrence Higgins Trust and calling for more global assistance to combat HIV. - Throughout the session, members from various parties and regions, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, reiterated the importance of testing, referenced successful initiatives like opt-out testing, and advocated for better access to preventive measures such as PrEP. There was a consistent call for action and a clear consensus on the importance of achieving the 2030 goal.

The Minister for Secondary Care, Karin Smyth, highlighted the cross-party collaboration and commitment to eradicating HIV transmissions, further indicating a lack of significant disagreement in the session. The session ended with a call to action and no opposition to the goals presented, affirming the unity among the participants on this issue.