Leading HIV and sexual health charities in Scotland are calling on the next Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and First Minister of Scotland to tackle transmission of HIV in Scotland as a matter of urgency.

In a letter to the leadership candidates, Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland, Waverley Care and the National AIDS Trust are asking that the next First Minister commits their personal support for Scotland’s goal of eliminating new transmission of HIV by 2030, and directs their new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to deliver on the 2021 SNP manifesto pledge to deliver a framework on how Scotland will achieve this goal.

Last World AIDS Day, the Scottish Government welcomed a proposal on how to achieve this goal, developed by a coalition of clinicians, academics and community, but only made commitments to deliver an anti-stigma campaign and establish a new group to prioritise next steps from the HIV Transmission Elimination Proposal. Scotland is now at risk of falling behind other areas of the UK in meeting its 2030 goal, particularly when it comes to the expansion of HIV testing. A funded Action Plan is now urgently needed.

If Scotland is to achieve its 2030 goals and remain a world leader on HIV, the Scottish Government needs to be both ambitious and proactive in their approach. Now is the time to act.

Dear candidates,

As Scotland’s leading HIV and sexual health charities, we are asking for your support for determined action to end transmission of HIV in Scotland by 2030. Scotland has the opportunity be one of the first countries in the world to eliminate HIV transmission, but now is the time to act. Success is not a given and action is urgent.

We have made great progress since the start of the HIV epidemic four decades ago and Scotland has been a global leader in the fight to end new HIV transmissions, including being one of the first countries in the world to make PrEP widely accessible. But we cannot afford to be complacent. Scotland is now lagging behind other parts of the UK in its ambition to end HIV transmission by 2030 and the goals set out in the HIV Transmission Elimination Proposal cannot be achieved without government adoption, support and investment.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to reaching zero new transmissions of HIV by 2030 is achievable only if we see sustained action taken to increase access to HIV testing, tackling stigma and retaining people in care. However, while a plan has been developed for how to achieve these aims, we are yet to see material commitments or investment from the Scottish Government on some of the key pillars of transmission elimination.

Both the Westminster and Welsh Governments have now published their own funded HIV Action Plans, with the Westminster Government committing £20 million to invest in testing for HIV in hospital emergency departments in England. Despite a 2021 SNP manifesto commitment, the Scottish Government is yet to set out their own pathway on how this will be achieved.

We must remain proactive in order to achieve this ambitious goal and use this election as an opportunity to show Scotland’s strong leadership in the fight against HIV transmission.

We, therefore, ask that you:

• Pledge your personal support for ending new transmissions of HIV in Scotland by 2030 and require your new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to act urgently in order to achieve this.  
• Deliver a funded Action Plan in response to the HIV Transmission Elimination Proposal by the end of 2023, as in line with the SNP’s 2021 manifesto commitment to publish a framework for achieving zero transmission of HIV by 2030.

The historic opportunity to end HIV transmissions – without a vaccine and a cure – is within reach, and our organisations are committed to playing our part in this mission and working with you to achieve this goal. Will a government you form be partners in this goal and global leaders in its implementation?

Yours sincerely,

Alan Eagleson, Head of Scotland Services, Terrence Higgins Trust
Deborah Gold, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust
Grant Sugden, Chief Executive, Waverley Care