Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating its role in helping to save lives through the roll out of routine opt-out blood borne virus testing in its emergency department.
Routine opt-out testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C in NHS emergency departments across the country has been a gamechanger for the early detection of HIV and viral hepatitis – enabling thousands more people to get access to life-saving treatments, which prevent long-term health issues and reduce the chance of passing the viruses on to others.
The scheme has helped over 11,000 people nationally with a new diagnosis of a blood borne virus. That is 275 newly diagnosed individuals a month.
Since introducing the scheme in the Northern General Hospital's A&E and emergency department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has successfully tested almost 40,000 patients for blood borne viruses, with the scheme helping to find 75 new people with a blood borne virus, including 25 Hepatitis C, 43 Hepatitis B and 7 HIV cases.
Although these numbers may seem relatively small, they are very significant in terms of reduction of future health complications and prevention of onward transmission of infection and new cases.
The figures were published earlier this week, to coincide with World Aids Day (1 December 2025). Speaking on condition of anonymity, one patient, who had a condition detected thanks to the scheme said: "Routine opt-out testing in A&E departments saves lives. It saved mine and stopped me from passing on the virus to others. Eventually, you could say it gave me a new purpose and perspective.’’
Another, who also asked to remain anonymous, said: "When I felt unwell and went to ED, it was a lifesaver – I got diagnosed with HIV and I wouldn’t have known otherwise. It was a really positive experience for me’’
For Hepatitis B and C, treatment via early detection and diagnosis can reduce the risk of developing serious illness or complications (such as liver cirrhosis and cancer). In the case of Hepatitis C, treatment can also be curative.
For HIV, treatment suppresses the virus, allowing people to live a normal life as well as preventing infection from being passed on: if HIV is undetectable; it is un-transmittable.
Dr Rachel Foster, Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Acute Medicine at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are proud to improve the lives of the people we serve and target viruses that affect our community. We also hope the scheme will normalise testing for HIV and thus reduce associated stigma."
Posters advertising the scheme are available in the A&E and emergency department to inform patients about the testing. If patients do not require a blood test during their visit to the emergency department, they will not be tested.
Patients can opt out of the testing by speaking to a member of staff. Specialist support is put in back for anyone whose result comes back as positive, with patients linked to specialist care, treatment and support.
Although blood-borne viruses can cause serious illness and complications, these can be largely prevented through early diagnosis, specialist assessment and effective treatment or monitoring.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recently received an additional £150,000 funding to continue to deliver the programme in its emergency department until March 31, 2026.
