Last time I was in Birmingham with Terrence Higgins Trust, we were at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. I was two weeks into my time as Health Secretary, but a proposal had landed on my desk and was impossible to ignore.

A government HIV testing programme was showing remarkable results. A really simple principle, that everyone who had their blood taken at A&E is tested unless they ask not to be, had meant nearly 500 people had been newly diagnosed with HIV in just four cities - even more with Hepatitis B and C.

The decision to get the programme out to more areas was a no-brainer.

So on World AIDS Day last year we came to Birmingham to announce that the Conservative government would invest £20 million to expand the programme to 47 more hospitals – including all the emergency departments in the city – taking the total to 81 across England.

And I am proud to say that two weeks ago, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham was one of the first hospitals to start opt-out blood borne virus testing thanks to that expansion. In the first week, they had one reactive HIV test, four reactive hep B tests and one case of hep C. There will need to be confirmatory tests, but I am so proud of the difference this testing is already making.

Here, I must pay tribute to the relentless campaigning of Terrence Higgins Trust and LGBT Conservatives, who made that decision possible. And to my colleagues, some in this room, who helped to get this over the line: Stuart Andrew, Peter Gibson, Nicola Richards, Caroline Nokes, Andy Street, Lord Guy Black, Maggie Throup, Steve Brine, Paul Holmes, and David Mundell – to name just a few of the friends who played their part.

I remain committed to working to end new HIV cases.

I was proud that our Conservative manifesto committed to ending new HIV cases in England and continuing with the expansion of that testing programme.

It’s now our job to ensure that we hold the new government to account as they develop a new HIV Action Plan.

Because when you get close to the finish line, you have to speed up and not slow down. As we get closer to the 2030 target, it will only get harder to find the people we need to find and make sure they are getting the care they need.

There is so much to be proud of about our time in government in this area. Now, we have to ensure that legacy is not lost.

So, to Terrence Higgins Trust and LGBT Conservatives and everyone in this room -  you have my assurance that I will continue to stand with you until we get this over the line.