President’s Blog – Professor Matt Phillips – October 2025
16 October 2025
Dearest Colleagues,
As we step into October, I want to take a moment to reflect on several important recent developments and share a few recent highlights from across BASHH.
I want to begin by sharing that BASHH has endorsed the recent statement from the NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board in response to the UN Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative report, which proposes sunsetting UNAIDS by the end of 2026. We believe this is the wrong step at the wrong time. Closing UNAIDS now would seriously undermine the global goal of ending AIDS by 2030 and put at risk the leadership, coordination, and advocacy needed to protect the communities most affected by HIV – and ultimately, to save lives. I encourage colleagues to read and share the full statement and to consider adding your organisation’s endorsement so that our collective voice can be heard.
As you may have seen, on 7 October the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published annual HIV data, showing that the UK continues to make important progress toward ending new HIV transmissions, with overall diagnoses and deaths continuing to decline and the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets achieved nationally. More than 1.3 million people received HIV testing in sexual health services in 2024 – up 3% from 2023 – and over 111,000 individuals accessed PrEP, an increase of nearly 8%.
However, the data also underline areas of real concern. There was a 7% decrease in HIV testing between 2023 and 2024 amongst those aged 15 to 24 years. This decline highlights the need for renewed focus on ensuring that young people have access to high-quality, age-appropriate information and testing opportunities. Just a few weeks ago, BASHH spoke to the Women and Equalities Committee about this very issue, emphasising that improved engagement, education, and access to testing for young people must be a national priority if we are to sustain progress and prevent widening inequalities in HIV outcomes.
In more positive developments, I was delighted to see the recent publication of our new report, Mapping the Provision of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in the UK. This important work, led by the BASHH PrEP Working Group, draws on a UK-wide survey of Level 3 Genitourinary Medicine clinic leads conducted earlier this year. The findings provide a crucial snapshot of how PrEP is currently delivered, the challenges faced, and the opportunities to strengthen equity of access across the country. My thanks go to the report’s authors, and all colleagues in NHS sexual health services who generously gave their time and insights to this work. The report’s recommendations are already helping to shape discussion, and were presented at HIV Prevention England’s event, ‘Improving PrEP Access Among Marginalised Communities’ last month. If you haven’t done so already, do take a moment to read the full report here.
Earlier in the year, we welcomed our new Head of Education and Development, Daron Oram. Daron has already been hard at work supporting BASHH’s broad portfolio of training and education activity, as well as the STI Foundation. He brings a wealth of experience and has quickly become an integral part of the team. Daron is now working with colleagues to develop a new BASHH education strategy – it is vital that this is shaped by member input, and I therefore encourage you to engage with the surveys and focus groups that will soon be underway in the coming weeks. You can read more about what Daron has been working on within his recent blog. I know he is keen to hear your ideas, so please don’t hesitate to contact him directly.
We also recently welcomed medical students and resident doctors to the Genitourinary Medicine Taster Day, held virtually on 6 October by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians. This event gave participants a valuable overview of our specialty — from training requirements and dual accreditation opportunities, to the realities of clinic life and common scenarios we manage. Recordings of the talks will be available soon on the Federation’s website, and as always, helpful resources about a career in GUM are also available on the #LoveGUM website.
From a training perspective, BASHH continues to closely monitor potential changes to GUM training numbers, including requests for these to be loaned out. This remains an important area of oversight to ensure that processes are transparent and equitable for all trainees and services involved. Should you encounter any concerns or have questions about this, please contact Andy Williams (ajwilliams@nhs.net) and Sarah Schoeman (sarah.schoeman@nhs.net) at the Specialty Advisory Committee, as well as myself, so that we can provide timely support and guidance.
Looking more broadly at how members can become involved in the work of BASHH, I would also like to highlight the upcoming elections. Standing for a role within the organisation is a rewarding opportunity to help shape our specialty, contribute to national policy and advocacy, and support colleagues across the country. If you are interested in learning more about any of the available positions or simply wish to discuss what is involved, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our officers. We are always very happy to speak with members considering standing, and to share insights from our own experiences. Completed nomination forms must be returned by 5pm on 24 October 2025 to: admin@bashh.org.
Finally, looking ahead, I hope you are joining us at the BASHH Scientific Meeting today, which is free for members. The meeting will feature two engaging sessions, with contributions from our HSV and Sustainable Healthcare special interest groups. Topics will range from disseminated HSV in pregnancy to innovations in sustainable sexual healthcare, and the session promises to be both clinically valuable and forward-looking. Please remember that registration is essential to receive the joining link.
I hope to see many of you at our events throughout the remainder of the year, and I welcome your thoughts and feedback at any time via my email address: president@bashh.net.
With best wishes,
Matt
Professor Matt Phillips
BASHH President