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Emergency-department HIV testing has helped almost 200 Royal Free London patients get diagnosed earlier

Routine blood-borne-virus testing in Royal Free London emergency departments has identified HIV in 198 patients since 2022, allowing earlier specialist treatment and support.

By The TEA Editorial Desk · 28 August 2026

Royal Free London staff involved in HIV testing and support services Image: Royal Free London NHS Foundation TrustOriginal source

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Routine HIV testing in Royal Free London emergency departments has helped identify the virus earlier in 198 patients since the wider programme was introduced in 2022.

HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C tests are built into emergency-department blood orders when patients are already having blood taken. People with positive or inconclusive results are then contacted by specialist HIV teams for confirmatory testing, and support.

Early matters because modern treatment can allow people with HIV to live long, healthy lives. Effective can also reduce the amount of virus in the blood to undetectable levels, which prevents sexual transmission.

The strength of opt-out emergency testing is that it reaches people who may never have considered themselves at risk or asked for a dedicated HIV test. Making the check routine quietly removes some of the stigma and catches infections that might otherwise remain hidden for longer.