Hundreds face HIV test after health worker infected

HUNDREDS of patients across Yorkshire are being recalled for checks after it was found a worker who treated them may have been infected with the HIV virus.

A total of 519 people are being offered precautionary tests after it was discovered the health worker could have posed a potential risk. The individual, who is not being identified, spent time working at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust and York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Health chiefs say that as soon as they became aware of the situation the worker was removed from duties where there was a potential risk of the infection being transmitted.

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Doctors believe the likelihood of infection is "extremely low". Some 371 patients treated in Hull, 47 treated in Scarborough and 101 treated in York for specific procedures are being invited for precautionary tests by the three NHS trusts involved.

David Hepburn, medical director of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Some 519 patients are expected to receive letters informing them that a healthcare worker who has been involved in their care has the HIV infection.

"Recalling patients for testing is purely a precautionary measure. It does not mean that the infection has been passed on. The risk to patients is extremely low.

"It is important to be aware that no case of HIV cross-infection from healthcare worker to patient has ever been found in the UK to date, despite almost 30 similar patient recall exercises involving well over 7,000 patients. There have only ever been three reported episodes of this happening in the world."

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He added: "The most important thing now is that those patients who do receive letters contact the advice line number they are given to arrange a free and confidential HIV test as soon as possible."

Officials said only those patients receiving letters should call an advice line and there is no need for any others to make contact. Follow-up arrangements are in place for patients who do not respond to the first letter.

Doctors do not know when the worker contracted the HIV infection and as a precaution they have worked to the earliest date of potential cross-infection when the individual began work in the region. No other hospital trusts are involved.