People across England will be able to order HIV tests from their sofa and get results on their phone, as part of a digital revolution in sexual health announced today (Sunday 30 November).
A groundbreaking £5 million trial, to be unveiled in the government's HIV Action Plan published on 1 December, will see home testing kits ordered at the touch of a button through the NHS App.
The new digital service will offer a discreet route for those anxious about their sexual health to get tested without visiting a clinic.
The initiative is part of a major shift in how the NHS delivers care - moving from sickness to prevention by reaching people earlier and making testing as easy as online shopping.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
'Because of the tireless work of campaigners, we have come so far when it comes to HIV and tackling the stigma around it. But there is still more to do.
'The ambitious goal of ending this epidemic and being the first country in the world to do so falls to our generation and to this government. We must not fail.
'Too many people delay getting tested for HIV because of stigma, inconvenience, or simply not knowing where to go - but it’s vital to get tested early when treatment is most effective.
'The NHS App will enable people to get tested from the comfort of their own home, with results delivered securely straight to their phone. It's healthcare that fits around your life, not the other way around.'
Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:
'It is transformational to put HIV testing into the NHS App and therefore into everyone's hands. Making HIV testing available in the app will make ordering an HIV test simpler, more discreet and allow us to promote testing to those who may never have tested or haven't for some time.
'A 24-seven, 365 day-a-year postal HIV testing service in their pocket is an innovation that is long-overdue. This trial takes us a step closer to that. The fact that it could also unlock the possibility for PrEP to be available at the click of the button has enormous potential for ending new cases of HIV and doing it by 2030.
'Get this right and it will be the blueprint for moving our health service from analogue to digital, and a step change in ending HIV transmission.'
Anne Aslett, CEO, The Elton John AIDS Foundation, said:
'Not everyone who needs an HIV test can access a sexual health clinic, so today’s announcement is an important step forward. To make this initiative truly transformational, the government should link it to online PrEP initiation.
'The world is increasingly choosing to access healthcare through confidential, convenient online platforms. Protection against HIV should be no exception.'
Robbie Currie, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust, said:
'We are really pleased to see HIV testing take a big step forward by becoming part of the NHS App. It should be easy for everyone to be able to get an HIV test at home, and using new technologies such as the NHS App is vital if we are to reach people who aren’t currently testing.
'This could be a really important new addition that can help us achieve the 2030 goal - but no single initiative alone will get us there. We hope that HIV testing through the app will go alongside strong community engagement, action on stigma, and clear pathways into care so that people are properly supported after testing.
'The trial will allow at-risk patients to order home HIV tests seamlessly, receive results securely, and contact their GP or sexual health clinics - all from their phone.
The trial will be initially rolled out in two local authority areas, with the potential to expand nationally.
This means patients can access care from their own home without visiting their GP - so the NHS is organised around patients’ needs - rather than patients organising their lives around the NHS.
By moving routine HIV tests to people’s homes, these simple kits make healthcare more convenient and accessible, particularly for those in rural areas or people who can't easily leave home, or people who face barriers to attending clinics due to stigma.
Local government partners will collaborate on design and implementation, with rollout locations to be confirmed as the service develops.
The NHS App is quickly becoming the national "front door" to healthcare, providing a single access point for patients to get advice, manage appointments and interact with services to make their healthcare more convenient and personalised.
The testing kit trial follows the government’s commitment to investing in hundreds of new Neighbourhood Health Centres that will deliver healthcare direct to people’s doorsteps – allowing patients to get treatment minutes from home instead of travelling miles to often hard to reach hospitals.
