People urged to use kits to check for HIV in Portsmouth after 'worrying' drop in testing during the pandemic

Health bosses in the city are encouraging the use of home kits by sexually active people, with added concerns that fewer residents have been using sexual health services over the last two years.

Helen Atkinson, director of public health for Portsmouth City Council, said: ‘During the pandemic we have seen fewer people attending Portsmouth's sexual health services, which offer free HIV testing in clinics or through home testing kits.

‘There has also been a fall in the number of those who do attend accepting the offer of a free HIV test.

‘This is worrying as it means more people will get a late diagnosis and could unknowingly be passing on HIV - and we know early diagnosis is key to managing HIV successfully.

‘So I urge everyone who is sexually active to take regular HIV test regularly and visit letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk for more information and advice to keep protecting themselves and others.’

The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency showed Portsmouth was considered to have ‘high’ rates of HIV, with 321 aged 15 to 59 accessing HIV-related care in 2020.

This is a rate of 2.35 per 1,000 people of that age in the city.

It comes as Portsmouth council is supporting national HIV testing week – February 7 to 13.

Councillor Jason Fazackarley, the council’s health and social care boss, added: ‘Our approach to HIV has radically changed since the virus was first identified.

‘Everyone deserves the opportunity to have accurate information about HIV, and easy access to testing and treatment so that they can enjoy long healthy lives.

‘The risk of HIV is present no matter what our sexual orientation - whether our relationships are with people of the same or opposite sex - anyone can become infected and unknowingly infect others if they do not know their HIV status. It's vital we are all aware of the risks of not testing and of the options to reduce and manage our own risk.’

Not only are simple home test kits available, but there are treatments and medications that can prevent passing on the virus if you are HIV positive, including a drug called Prep which can prevent infection.

To find out more you can attend a booked appointment with the city’s sexual health services at St Mary's Health Campus.

Visit letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk or call 0300 300 2016.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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