Article Text
Abstract
Background New BHIVA Standards of care for people living with HIV were published in 2013 for proportion of people newly attending sexual health services offered an HIV test in and time from HIV testing to lab reporting and sharing result with patient
Aims Baseline regional audit to assess HIV screening offer, uptake and turn-around times within sexual health services to feedback to commissioners.
Method Standards set from the ‘Management of Sexually transmitted Infections’ MEDFASH 2014. Retrospective audit of first 30 attendances between 01/09/14 and 30/11/14. Services reviewed notes coded as either HIV testing performed, inappropriate or declined. Information collected included documentation of offer, reason given for decline or deemed inappropriate. For those tested, times taken for lab reporting and sending patient result text was collected.
Results 8 services took part. 0.1% HIV positivity rate. 70% overall had documented reason for HIV test decline. 13% were coded as declined with no documented offer. Percentage of people with needs relating to STI’s who had an HIV test at first attendance 97% offered (achieved in 84%, range 59 to 100%), 80% uptake (achieved in 70%, range 47 to 87%). 3/8 of services met both standards for turn-around times. Overall 92% of services received report from laboratory within 5 working days, range 1 to 20 days (standard 97%) and 90% of patients received their result within 10 working days, range 3 to 30 days (standard 95%).
Discussion Not all patients appropriate to be tested were offered HIV test, training as to when HIV testing is not appropriate in Sexual health was recommended. Patients in a long term relationship were most likely not to be offered screening, regardless of previous screening history. There was a large variation between processing times in both laboratories and sexual health services. Good practices for those meeting standards were shared with the network.