In 1989 the Department of Health announced plans for the introduction of a large–scale programme of anonymised HIV screening, in order to find out the prevalence (social distribution) and incidence (rate of new infection) of HIV in Britain.

The plans were drawn up for the DOH by the Medical Research Council, which is supervising the entire project. This is initially focused on a number of specific target groups including pregnant women and people attending GUM clinics. The eventual aim is to extend the screening to include randomised samples from all general hospital admissions.

For example, women attending certain antenatal clinics will be informed that HIV antibody testing will be included amongst the other routine tests, unless an individual specifically objects.

The results of these tests will not be connected to the individuals by name, and are therefore anonymous. This means that the results will also not be available to the individuals concerned. Their sole use is meant to be statistical, in order to predict the likely future course of the epidemic.

Under these circumstances, there is no risk of a breach of confidentiality from the testing of the blood itself. However, some concern has been expressed that consent to this anonymised screening should not be sought from individuals in front of other people. Somebody who chooses to refuse, for whatever reasons, could be put in an awkward or embarrassing position.