Recent data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has shown the highest ever uptake of HIV testing among some groups.
2022 saw the highest ever uptake of HIV testing among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). At the same time, diagnoses in this group are continuing to fall.
However, diagnoses are rising in heterosexual adults and particularly in women and ethnic minority groups.
Half of people living with diagnosed HIV were aged 50 years or over in 2022, which UKHSA says reflects the success of HIV treatment in enabling people with HIV to have long healthy lives.
The data for England provides an overview of trends in relation to HIV testing, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), new HIV diagnoses, late diagnoses, and the care outcomes for people accessing HIV services.
Dr Alison Brown, Interim Head of HIV Surveillance at UKHSA said: "In 2022 we saw further improvements in HIV testing and PrEP access, but progress has been uneven. The continued lower rates of HIV testing and PrEP among women and ethnic minority groups is concerning.
"An HIV test is free and provides access to PrEP if needed. If you do test positive, treatment is so effective that you can expect to live a long healthy life and you won’t pass HIV on to partners.
"If you have HIV, you are eligible for a flu and COVID-19 vaccination this autumn and winter to help protect against serious consequences of these infections."
Professor Kevin Fenton, chief advisor on HIV to government and chair of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group, said: "The latest data shows the positive results of our ongoing efforts to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Through our HIV Prevention Programme (HPE) and the fantastic work of our local authority and NHS colleagues, we are making positive progress to boost testing uptake and improve timely access to effective treatment.
"However, we’re not yet seeing progress across the board and there remain some concerning trends around low testing and PrEP uptake in certain groups, particularly in women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
"As we continue working to reduce HIV transmission, it is expected that we will see evidence of inequalities, especially in those populations with access and engagement issues in prevention and treatment services. The report’s findings reinforce the need for targeting and prioritising the most vulnerable communities while maintaining robust prevention, treatment and care programmes for all.
"Our priorities for HIV control remain the same and must now be accelerated to respond to the emerging trends; scaling up HIV testing, expanding access to HIV PrEP, linking and maintaining patients in high quality HIV care, and tackling HIV stigma. The latest data will allow our partners to continue working with affected communities, further target resources and prioritise interventions where they are most needed."
