Liverpool launches pioneering online HIV-prevention drug service
The new service launches today (November 4).
Liverpool’s axess sexual health service, part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHL Group), has launched a new digital service that will deliver PrEP - a pill which reduces the risk of getting HIV by 99% when taken as prescribed - direct to patients.
PrEPDirect is intended to increase accessibility of preventative HIV medication for Liverpool residents and it is believed to be the only service of its kind outside of London, enabling users to access the pill without the need for an in-person consultation.
They will instead receive a kit to test at home for HIV, hepatitis and kidney health, receiving the results via SMS. If no clinical follow-up is required, PrEP will be delivered directly to a patient’s address free of charge.
This new service is being launched in the Liverpool city area initially but there are plans to expand to the rest of axess sexual health’s service areas in Warrington, Halton, Cheshire East and Knowsley.
The service will be complemented by PrEP EmERGE, an app which will launch in November and will securely connect patients to their sexual health records, including testresults, appointments and medication reminders.
This innovation aims to further improve on Liverpool’s recent successes, with the council revealing that 2024 data shows the city has seen a 7.5% increase in HIV testing volume, a growing uptake of PrEP medication, and a significant drop in late HIV diagnoses.
Luke Byrne, Assistant Divisional Director of Nursing, Sexual Health and HIV at axess sexual health, said: “The launch of PrEPDirect represents an exciting step forward in Liverpool’s mission to make HIV prevention accessible to everyone.
“Thanks to the incredible support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Liverpool City Council, we can transform how people engage with their sexual health, bringing PrEP directly to those who need it most, in ways that fit their lives.
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“This innovation ensures that communities who have historically faced barriers to care, including LGBTQ+ people, people of colour, and those living in the most deprived areas, can now access prevention and care with dignity, privacy and convenience.
“It will also help to extend access to those who may be at risk but have not traditionally seen themselves as needing PrEP, including women, by making prevention simple and discrete. This pilot is a proud moment for Liverpool, and one that truly represents our city’s commitment to inclusion, innovation and equity in public health.”
PrEPDirect is available from November 4, here.