Public Health England has published its HIV report, showing a slowing of the decline in new diagnoses. This comes one year on from the Government committing to ending HIV transmissions by 2030.

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, says prevention and public health are unwavering priorities for this Government, yet access to HIV prevention pill PrEP remains capped in England and sexual health services are struggling to cope with demand.

As part of work to achieve the 2030 goal, Terrence Higgins Trust and NAT (National AIDS Trust) have established an independent HIV Commission to consult widely ahead of making its evidence-based recommendations in the spring.

Debbie Laycock, Head of Policy at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ‘We won’t end HIV transmissions simply with business as usual as it’s that complacency which poses the biggest barrier to ending the epidemic. We now have an ambitious target to reach zero new HIV transmissions that the Government has committed to playing its part in achieving but if progress starts to stagnate we simply won’t get there.

‘While the last few years have been a real success story for bringing down new HIV diagnoses, today’s data shows there is an undeniable slowing happening. That’s why the work of the HIV Commission is so important as we need to make sure that everything we’re doing is bringing us closer to ending transmissions within the next 10 years.

‘In the last decade the rate of diagnoses in gay and bisexual men has reduced by nearly a third but we are not seeing that same level of progress among other groups. For example we’re seeing slight increases among black African people and south Asian gay and bisexual men. No one can be left behind when it comes to ending HIV and progress across all communities is essential if we are to avoid going backwards.

‘This means looking beyond the groups traditionally associated with HIV and increasing testing in all communities. The fact we are still seeing 43% of all new HIV diagnoses at a late stage, in particular among heterosexual men and the over 50s, is evidence of the urgent need to engage these groups around HIV and regular testing. Read more via Terrence Higgins Trust