BASHH response to the Women and Equalities Committee’s warning on the need to improve PrEP access to tackle HIV

06 February 2026 (Last updated: 6 Feb 2026 10:03)

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) welcomes the publication of the Government’s response to the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC)’s report on tackling HIV transmission, originally published in November 2025  (find here).

We are encouraged to see continued focus on improving equitable access to HIV prevention, testing and care. BASHH joins the WEC in emphasising that properly resourced, equitable expansion of proven interventions is essential to ensure that more people across the UK can benefit from the world‑class genitourinary medicine (GUM) services already in place.

Dr Cara Saxon, BASHH President, said:

“BASHH welcomes the Committee’s continued focus on the persistent inequalities in HIV and sexual health. We must address these to accelerate progress towards ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.

The UK’s world‑class GUM services, providing integrated and holistic care, are central to achieving this ambition. Yet ongoing pressures — particularly in rural and underserved communities — continue to limit timely access. We need to back these services with adequate investment. We want more people, in more places, to benefit from the proven tools we already have to prevent, diagnose and treat HIV. We must make sure that our services have the sustainability and agility to deliver new technologies, such as long-acting injectable PrEP, so that we can realise their potential.

Digital and community pharmacy pathways for PrEP offer potentially scalable ways to widen reach and reduce barriers. We want to support development of these new models and the evidence base for them so that they can genuinely increase access across the board. This must build on and integrate with existing services to optimise impact on HIV and other outcomes.

We welcome the Government’s £170 million investment in the HIV Action Plan, and the renewed focus it brings to the GUM workforce and training across multiple-disciplinary teams. The forthcoming Sexual and Reproductive Health Framework presents real opportunity to create a more coherent, joined‑up and fair system.

BASHH stands ready to work with Government, commissioners and partners across the sector to ensure that the expansion of HIV prevention and sexual health services delivers true equity. But we urge the Government to do more to ensure that the commitments already made, including the increase to the public health grant, make their way to supporting the over-stretched sexual health infrastructure already in place. This will enable us to work together effectively towards our goals.”