asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people were estimated to be living with HIV in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and [HL229]
How many new diagnoses of HIV there were in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and [HL230]
How many new cases of chlamydia were reported in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and [HL231]
How many new cases of syphilis were reported in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and [HL232]
How many patients were treated in genito-urinary medicine clinics in the United Kingdom; and how many in the latest available year. [HL233]
The information on the number of people living with HIV and new diagnoses of HIV in the United Kingdom is shown in the following table.
Year Estimated total number of adults (aged 15 to 59) living with HIV in the United Kingdom (diagnosed and undiagnosed) New HIV diagnoses in the United Kingdom 1998 29,700 2,863 20061 69,4002 7,8003 Source: Health Protection Agency Notes 1. 2006 is the latest year for which data are available. 2. In 2006, the HPA also estimated that there were 73,000 people of all ages living with HIV in the United Kingdom. 3. The 2006 figure is an estimate based on the number of reports of new HIV diagnoses in 2006 received by the Health Protection Agency by the end of June 2007 (7,093) adjusted for new HIV diagnoses made in 2006 that are still expected to be reported.
The increase in the number of people living with HIV and in the number of new HIV diagnoses has occurred for several reasons including:
increased testing for HIV of groups at risk of infection;
the introduction of HIV antenatal screening;
diagnosis of infections in the United Kingdom that were acquired abroad in countries of HIV prevalence;
continuing transmission of HIV in the United Kingdom, sexually transmitted between men; and
the introduction of effective antiretroviral drug therapies in the mid-1990s, which has resulted in a marked reduction in the number of AIDS diagnoses and deaths and may have led to an increase in HIV testing.
Information on the number of diagnoses of chlamydia, syphilis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in genito-urinary clinics (GUM) in the United Kingdom in 1998 and 2006, the latest date for which figures are available, are shown in the following table:
1998 2006 Uncomplicated chlamydial infection 48,726 113,585 Primary and secondary infectious syphilis 139 2,766 New STI diagnoses 244,282 376,508 Other STI diagnoses* 145,544 244,804 Other GUM clinical diagnoses** 297,618 334,314 Source: Health Protection Agency, KC60 returns and STI Surveillance Scotland (STISS) data. Notes: * Includes recurrent and follow-up presentations. ** Includes other conditions requiring treatment, such as candidiasis and urinary-tract infections. 1. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns and STISS are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the dataset. 2. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. Individual patients may have more than one diagnosis in a year. 3. The information provided has been adjusted for missing clinic data. 4. The figures include data from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
In addition to diagnoses made in GUM clinics, the national chlamydia screening programme has been running since 2003 in England. The number of people diagnosed with chlamydia under the age of 25, in 2003-04 and 2006-07, are shown in the following table.
2003-04 2006-07 Chlamydial infection 1,753 14,950 Source: national chlamydia screening programme. Notes: 1. The data from the NCSP are for diagnoses made outside of GUM clinics only and do not include diagnoses made by the Boots pathfinder project. 2. The data available from the NCSP are the number of diagnoses made and not the number of patients diagnosed. 3. The NCSP was launched in 2003. Therefore data are not available for 1998. 4. The NCSP follows the financial year.
In England, the rate of increase in STIs has slowed and we consider this reflects the impact of the work that has been undertaken to date to implement the sexual health and HIV strategy.
For example, our target is to offer everyone who needs it an appointment at a GUM clinic within 48 hours by March 2008. In September 2007, 88 per cent of patients were offered an appointment to be seen and 78 per cent were seen within 48 hours. In May 2005, only 45 per cent were offered an appointment to be seen within 48 hours. This is helping to speed up detection and reducing onward transmission.
We are keen to improve access to a wide range of sexual-health services—offering people more convenient options for getting screening and testing, including further education colleges and private pharmacies. That is why we are rolling out the national chlamydia screening programme and working with Boots the Chemist to pilot a two-year chlamydia testing service in high street pharmacies across the capital for 16 to 24 year-olds.