BASHH welcomes National HIV Testing Week and Sir Keir Starmer’s public HIV test

10 February 2025 (Last updated: 10 Feb 2025 14:24)

Today, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer partnered with Terrence Higgins Trust to take a public HIV test as part of HIV Testing Week 2025.

Professor Matt Phillips, President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), said:

“By becoming the first serving Prime Minister and leader of a G7 nation to take a public HIV test, Sir Keir is making a vital stand against stigma.

Recent data shows we are worryingly falling behind where we need to be to reach our goal of ending HIV transmissions by 2030 in England. And with growing inequalities in HIV, we need to reach more people and connect them to sexual health and HIV services. National HIV testing week is a key moment to support people to access HIV testing, sometimes for the first time.

Steps like this are all part of breaking down barriers to talking about HIV and sexual health and ensuring people can and know how to access services and we thank our colleagues at Terrence Higgins Trust for their advocacy, securing engagement at the highest political level today. Addressing such barriers should be seen as central to a much-needed wider strategic approach to deal with rising sexually transmitted infections.”

Running from 10 February and coordinated by Terrence Higgins Trust, National HIV Testing week is a campaign calling for all people across England to test. Free self-testing kits are available for all in England this week and HIV testing can also be accessed for free at any local sexual health service.

Learn more about BASHH’s four priorities for the Government, here.