Overall, 88% and 97% of patients were linked to care within 1 and 3 months of diagnosis, respectively, with little variation by demographics and exposure category. The

crude 1-year mortality rate was 31.6 per 1000 persons diagnosed in 2010. It was highest among adults diagnosed late (40.3/1000 versus 5.2/1000 for prompt diagnoses) and particularly among those aged 50 years and over. Excluding deaths, 85% of the 5833 diagnosed in 2010 were retained in care in 2011; 92% of the 2264 adults diagnosed late in 2010 received antiretroviral therapy by the end of 2011. The National Health Service provides high-quality care to persons newly diagnosed with HIV infection in the UK, with no evidence of health inequalities. Despite excellent SB203580 cell line care, half of adults are diagnosed late according to the threshold at which national guidelines recommend treatment should begin. Such patients have an 8-fold increased risk of 1-year mortality compared with those diagnosed promptly. Reducing late Epacadostat clinical trial diagnosis of HIV infection remains a public health priority in the UK. An

estimated 100 000 persons were living with HIV infection in the UK in 2012, with one-quarter unaware of their infection [1]. The UK HIV epidemic is largely concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM) and black African men and women [1]. Over the past 5 years, over 6000 persons were diagnosed with HIV infection annually, and nearly half of those living with diagnosed HIV infection reside in London [1]. The availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) since the mid-1990s has resulted in marked declines in death rates among HIV-infected persons. Nevertheless, between 1999 and 2008, almost 2000 AIDS-related deaths were reported in the UK, of which 81% were attributable to late diagnosis (CD4 count < 350 cells/μL at diagnosis) [2]. In the UK,

HIV testing services are confidential and free. Following diagnosis, patients are referred to open access National Health Service (NHS) specialized HIV out-patient services. A number of national HIV guidelines have been developed, aimed at reducing late diagnoses and undiagnosed infections [3-5] and ensuring appropriate standards of HIV treatment and care [6]. The provision of HIV testing and care services is critical, as prompt HIV diagnosis Protein kinase N1 and appropriate ART are associated with increased longevity[7]. Furthermore, HIV treatment has public health benefits, as HIV diagnosis provides access to ART, which in turn reduces patients’ viral load and subsequent risk of onward transmission [8]. We present key quality of care measures aimed at guiding clinical and public health practice. The measures use routinely collected national data to examine late diagnosis, linkage to and retention in HIV care, ART coverage and mortality rates within the first 12 months following HIV diagnosis among persons in the UK.