Four NHS staff have died after contracting HIV from needle accidents, says MP's report

Four NHS employees have died after contracting HIV from needlestick injuries, according to a report published by a committee of MPs.

Evidence presented to the Public Accounts Committee also suggested that a further twelve NHS were probably infected with HIV by accident after pricking themselves with needles contaminated with HIV.

The Department of Health told MPs that there were a total of 23,000 needlestick injuries in 2001-02. It’s thought that as many as 1,600 needlestick injuries have occurred since 1997 that involved possible exposure to HIV or hepatitis B or C, although nobody is believed to have become HIV-positive due to any of these incidents.

Reacting to these figures, the Royal College of Nurses and the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK’s largest HIV charity said that improved procedures could prevent many needlestick injuries. Research from the US also suggests that as many as a quarter of needle accidents are preventable because they involve cases where needle use was unnecessary.

The risk of contracting HIV from a needle contaminated with HIV infected blood is thought to be low. When a needlestick injury is thought to carry a risk of HIV infection it is standard practice to provide healthcare workers with a short course of antiretroviral therapy as post-exposure prophylaxis.

Further information on this website

PEP for needlestick injuries