The study was funded by the NIHR School for Primary Care Research and carried out by researchers from NIHR ARC West, the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Evaluation and Behavioural Science, and the Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol.
PATH-GP was co-designed with patients, GPs, nurses, and healthcare commissioners. It includes training for GP staff on HIV and PrEP, “opt-out” HIV testing in relevant clinical scenarios, digital reminders to flag patients who may benefit from testing, improved patient information, and a designated “champion” in each practice to support the programme.
The approach responds to evidence that many people living with undiagnosed HIV visit their GP multiple times before diagnosis, sometimes only being identified when the virus has significantly progressed. Early diagnosis and treatment can suppress the virus to undetectable levels, helping people live a normal lifespan and preventing onward transmission.
The next step is to secure funding to test whether PATH-GP works in real-world GP practices. If successful, it could help the UK move closer to its goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.
Read more on the NIHR ARC West website
Further links:
- Publication: Developing the PATH-GP (Prevention and Testing for HIV in General Practice) intervention: a person-based approach intervention development study to increase HIV testing and PrEP access. British Journal of General Practice 1 December 2025; BJGP.2025.0151
- Project: HIV prevention and testing in general practice (SPCR Project No. 599)