NHS could keep HIV scares secret to prevent anxiety

Over 500 people across East Yorkshire had to be tested last year after a healthcare worker contracted HIV.

But now health bosses in the region are calling for a review of national guidelines, with patients not being told if they were at risk.

Doctors fear telling them could cause them psychological damage when the actual risk of infection was small – and they were worried about costs.

Last June none of the patients in danger had HIV but they were not told until two years after the worker was diagnosed, though guidelines say they should be told within three weeks.

The report by Dr Tim Allison director of public health for NHS East Riding, reveals doctors were concerned the exercise would not be “cost effective”.

The total cost was almost £230,000 with £45,000 spent on gaining an injunction to prevent the worker’s identity being published.

Patient Susan Reeve, 49, of Hull, is considering taking legal action against the trust as it waited two years to call her for testing.

She says patients should be told if they are exposed to any infectious conditions while in medical care.

A report will now be submitted to UKAP, which advises the Department of Health on how to deal with healthcare workers infected with HIV.

Dr Allison said: “Our concern from the very outset of this exercise was to avoid causing undue anxiety.

“Hundreds of people were very concerned when they received a letter from us inviting them for precautionary testing, and yet not one person was found to be positive.

“Our recommendation is for the evidence from our look back exercise to be reviewed alongside other existing national evidence and for nationally

recognised experts in this field to consider whether guidance needs to be changed.”

“Any decision will be taken at a national level.”