HIV Screening in Primary care: the RHIVA research programme

Early diagnosis of HIV prevents future ill health or death, stops viral transmission to partners and children, and reduces burden to public health budgets.

Using a pilot study and a cluster RCT (RHIVA2), this project demonstrated that HIV screening in Hackney general practice increased HIV diagnosis and was acceptable to staff and patients.

The project found that nurse-led HIV screening in general practice:

• is feasible and acceptable to staff and patients
• increases HIV testing, and is associated with increased and earlier diagnosis
• is cost-effective
• benefits most those people at risk of late diagnosis.

Project details: Improving the identification and management of people with HIV.

Nurse-led HIV screening has been implemented in general practices in City & Hackney and Newham CCG, while Waltham Forest and Lewisham CCGs are piloting the intervention. Barts Health NHS Trust has introduced a failsafe procedure to ensure prompt HIV clinic entry for people newly diagnosed with HIV in general practice.

Contact: Dr Werner Leber w.leber@qmul.ac.uk