How we expanded opt-out HIV testing

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On World AIDS Day 2021, the Government announced its HIV Action Plan and £20 million to expand opt-out testing over three years. While the plan says ‘opt-out testing in high and very high prevalence areas must rapidly increase’, the first year’s funding is only enabling this innovation in A&E (accident and emergency) departments in extremely … Read more

How the Elton John AIDS Foundation Zero HIV Social Impact Bond programme is working to normalise HIV testing in hospital emergency departments and primary care.

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By Steve Hindle, Social Impact Bond Performance Manager, Elton John AIDS Foundation. We want to normalise the practice of HIV testing across all healthcare settings, and for that to happen a wide range of healthcare staff need to be informed and confident to talk about HIV.  The narrative needs to change from ‘would you like … Read more

HIV Commission: six months on

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By Anne Aslett, Chief Executive Elton John AIDS Foundation; Deborah Gold, Chief Executive National AIDS Trust and Ian Green, Chief Executive Terrence Higgins Trust It has now been six months since the landmark HIV Commission report on ending new cases of HIV in England by 2030 was published with support from Elton John AIDS Foundation, … Read more

How we’re turning the HIV Commission recommendations into real-life change

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It’s only been just over three months since the national HIV Commission published its recommendations but in that short space of time there’s been a groundswell of support to turn these into action. Time is now of the essence as the Government begins the process of drafting its widely anticipated HIV Action Plan.

On World AIDS Day, the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock announced that the HIV Commission’s report would be the basis for the HIV Action Plan and that it will be published in 2021. This was more than we could have hoped for, with the report still hot off the press and being turned into Government policy.

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The Zero HIV Social Impact Bond

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The Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Social Impact Bond (SIB) funds HIV testing in the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham who have some of the highest HIV rates across Europe. HIV testing here includes opt-out testing in A&Es, regular testing in GP practices, targeted testing by community groups, and re-engagement of people living with … Read more

Government and Opposition back HIV Commission recommendations

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Within hours of being published, the new report was becoming Government policy – a truly remarkable achievement Tuesday 1 December 2020 will go down in history as a seminal moment in the fight against HIV in England. Following 18 months of hard work, evidence gathering and hundreds of people sharing their expertise and experiences, the … Read more

Watch our World AIDS Day launch event

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On 1 December 2020, the HIV Commission published our Final Report and Recommendations, setting out 20 action points on how we can get to zero HIV transmissions by 2030. The report was launched at an online event, featuring Elton John, Matt Hancock, Keir Starmer, Michael Gove and Lord Fowler, as well as from the HIV … Read more

Messages of support on World AIDS Day 2020

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Today we launched our Final Report and Recommendations on how we can end HIV Transmissions in England by 2030 and hosted an online seminar to discuss the findings and recommendations with a number of high profile guests. The online launch can be watched here We’ve received a number of messages supporting the recommendations of the … Read more