UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) evaluation report of NHS Emergency Department (ED) opt out testing programme for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C

BHIVA welcomes the publication of the Public Health evaluation of BBV opt-out testing in emergency departments (EDs) in England in this 33-month final report (2025).

BHIVA members have significantly contributed to the design, implementation, and delivery of this BBV testing programme, which has found 3,667 diagnoses of hepatitis B, 831 hepatitis C, and 719 for HIV, with many never having tested for any of these BBVs before.

Half of those diagnosed with HBV and HCV were newly diagnosed, whereas 8.3% of those with HIV were newly diagnosed, with the remainder of HIV diagnoses being people who were already known to be living with HIV, but who had disengaged with care.

People newly diagnosed through this programme also reported different routes of acquisition or risk factors compared to those diagnosed through other settings. Crucially, ED testing picked up many late HIV presentations (50.7%) but also HCV late presentations (12.5%). BHIVA will continue to support this valuable programme as we continue to move towards our 2030 targets.