‘Lowest’ HIV testing rate is data error

FIGURES that show Oldham has the lowest testing rate for HIV in England have been blamed on a ‘coding issue’.

Health bosses said that Public Health England data showing a ‘substantial decline’ in HIV testing rates in the borough was the result of errors in the way testing among women was recorded.

This issue was rectified in November last year, but meant that the data for 2017 was not able to show any significant improvement.

Preliminary statistics show that HIV testing in women has risen from 12 per cent in the first quarter of last year, to 36pc in this quarter.

Councillors at a meeting of the borough’s performance and value for money select committee questioned whether an information campaign in schools could remind young people about the risks of HIV.

Shirley Goodhew, locum consultant in public health, replied: “It goes as part of the wider message around relationships and sex education, and healthy relationships, and age appropriate contraception discussions, so it will be in that message of a comprehensive school curriculum that’s proposed for 2020.

“There appears to be a low incidence of HIV in Oldham.

“The testing rate is quite low but the presentation rate is quite low as well so it doesn’t appear to be an issue for us really.

“However there is work ongoing to monitor and continue the screening.”