HIV testing expanded across Marie Stopes’ England clinics

4 October, 2010

HIV tests will be offered to all women and men visiting a Marie Stopes International clinic and will be available free under the NHS for some women accessing unplanned pregnancy services via an NHS referral.

The test is an important step in allowing more men and women to receive a crucial early diagnosis of HIV that will ensure they have a better response to treatment and are able to maintain a healthy long life. It is estimated that up to one in four people who has HIV in Britain is currently unaware that they have the infection.

The new service has begun in at Marie Stopes International clinics in West London, Manchester, Leeds, Maidstone and Reading and will soon be available at the Bristol and Essex clinics. The screening is already provided at the central London and south London clinics.

The changes come into effect after several Primary Care Trusts agreed to fund HIV tests for women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.

Tracey McNeill, Vice President of UK and Western Europe at Britain’s leading sexual and reproductive health provider, Marie Stopes International said:

“Marie Stopes International already offers Chlamydia testing to our clients which has been very successful in detecting and treating the STI and therefore preventing infertility. We are pleased to now also offer HIV testing and we hope that the more than 70,000 men and women who visit our clinics annually will take up the opportunity to check their HIV status.

“Women and men who are diagnosed early with HIV are more likely to respond better to treatment and lead a long and healthy life and it allows them to protect their partners from the infection. Early diagnosis also allows women to prevent the spread of the infection to any future children they give birth to.”

The HIV test will be available for free or at a cost depending on where clients live that are accessing unplanned pregnancy services. HIV and Chlamydia tests are also available to private patients.

For more information call our OneCall centre on 0845 300 8090.

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Media contact: +44 (0) 20 7034 2389 (m) +44 (0) 7748 948 257

Notes to editors:

Marie Stopes International
Marie Stopes International is Britain’s leading independent sexual and reproductive health provider, delivering services to more than 100,000 clients across nine centres each year. We are an outcomes-driven health service provider, delivering high quality care and clinical excellence. Internationally, we provide family planning and sexual healthcare to more than six million people in 43 countries annually. As a not-for-profit organisation surplus funds from the UK clinics support our work globally. Our mission is to ensure that women and men everywhere have a choice when it comes to having children. For more information, please visit our website www.mariestopes.org.uk

Categories: United Kingdom; Europe; Abortion; HIV / STIs; MSI Bristol Centre; MSI Central London Centre; MSI Essex Centre; MSI Leeds Centre; MSI Maidstone Centre; MSI Manchester Centre; MSI Reading Centre; MSI South London Centre; MSI West London Centre; Primary health care; Sexually transmitted infections

04/10/2010

HIV testing expanded across Marie Stopes’ England clinics

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