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Chelsea and Westminster welcomes drive on blood testing in A&E

23 July 2015

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has welcomed the recent push on routine HIV blood testing in A&E departments by St Thomas’ Hospital.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has welcomed the recent push on routine HIV blood testing in A&E departments by St Thomas’ Hospital.

Chelsea and Westminster has been running the same scheme for the past five years and carried out blood tests on 25,000 patients.

Consultant in HIV and Sexual Health Services, Dr Ann Sullivan said: “The work that St Thomas’ is doing is great news, and sure to be a success based on our extensive experience of routinely screening all patients having bloods in our A&E for the past five years. During that time over 60 patients have been diagnosed with HIV who were not aware of their condition, and who can now access treatment at our HIV services.

“At Chelsea and Westminster A&E, we tell all patients we routinely test everyone having a blood sample for HIV and confirm with them that they agree to a test. We do this to make sure they are aware they are having an HIV test and how to get their results, which is particularly important in an A&E setting where they are likely to be discharged (often without planned follow up) before the result is available.

“This approach has proved very successful and we urge other Trusts to take it up a similar programme in their emergency departments as an effective way of combatting the spread of the HIV virus.”  

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