HIV and the UK
World AIDS Day is 1 December. People living with HIV (PLHIV) can live long and healthy lives if they are promptly diagnosed and treated. People taking treatment cannot pass on HIV, and there are increasing options available for prevention.
A revised national HIV Action Plan is due by end of the year. The UK retains an ambition to achieve zero new HIV transmissions by 2030. To achieve this, it will be crucial to continue to focus testing, education, and stigma-reduction efforts.
Across the UK, we still see HIV being acquired by people of all ages, sexual orientations, ethnicities and backgrounds.
UKHSA has released the latest HIV Official Data for the period up to and including 2024.
HIV and Torbay
For Torbay we can see both a gradual increase in the HIV testing rate and an increase in new diagnoses (the new diagnosis rate is similar to the overall England position).
Torbay has moved to being a High Prevalence area (as defined by NICE guidance), and in those newly diagnosed, some people are diagnosed too late meaning they are often quite ill by that stage. There are over 218 people living with HIV in Torbay.
Torbay remains sensitive to the impact of small changes to numbers of local PLHIV. The threshold for moving to High Prevalence is 2 per 1000 people aged between 15 to 59. Torbay has been at or near this level for several years. Being a High Prevalence area is not a new situation – this was most recently the case in 2020.
There is an emerging focus on older PLHIV. Over 50% of people living with HIV in Torbay are aged over 50 years old.
Key Messages
U=U Undetectable means Untransmissible
HIV medication is highly effective. A person taking regular anti-viral therapy can reduce viral load to undetectable levels. This means they cannot sexually transmit HIV.
HIV does not discriminate
It can be prevented by taking part in safer sex including using condoms. A person may also be eligible for PrEP; this drug can be taken pre-exposure to prevent contracting the virus.
Testing is the only way to know your HIV status
Finding out means being able to start highly effective treatment, stay healthy and avoid passing the virus onto anyone else.
Local Partnership
A steering group has been established to refresh the local approach to HIV and support local communities and events including World AIDS Day and beyond.
This includes Torbay Public Health, Devon Sexual Health Service, The Eddystone Trust, Adult Social Care, Partnerships and Inclusion Team, UKHSA, and The Olive Trust.
The group is working to ensure that Torbay is well placed to support the new national HIV Action Plan. A key part of this work is building effective community engagement to raise awareness and develop culturally competent service delivery.
World AIDS Day 2025
For World AIDS Day, a joint statement between Torbay Council and The Eddystone Trust has been published and can be found here.
The Eddystone Trust has developed a series of events in the lead up to World AIDS Day and on 1 December will host a community quiz night to mark the day, honour those lost and stand with people living with HIV at The Meadfoot Pub.
What can I do?
- Stay up to date about how HIV and AIDS has changed and how it impacts on the lives of individuals and families in Torbay https://eddystone.org.uk/pages/world-aids-day / https://nat.org.uk/about-hiv/understanding-hiv/
- Support World AIDS Day – wear a red ribbon, speak out, challenge stigma. Ribbons will be available in the Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay
- Be aware of local services; testing for HIV is free, confidential and easy.
- Devon Sexual Health provide a free and confidential HIV testing service and assessment for PrEP – https://www.devonsexualhealth.nhs.uk/ or call 0300 303 3989
- Online HIV tests can be ordered through https://eddystone.org.uk/pages/testing
