Risks for HIV in

Health Care Settings

The risk of HIV infection in a health care setting in the UK is very low - there have only been a handful of documented cases of HIV transmission that were directly attributed to occupational exposure. Health care workers are trained to follow universal procedures so the risk of them contaminating their patients is negligible. Similarly, if health care workers follow the same universal procedures, they are unlikely to contract HIV from others in health care settings.

The highest risk from HIV infection is through accidents and injuries from needles and other sharp objects that may be contaminated with HIV. The risk posed by a needle stick injury may be higher if it is:

- A deep injury

- If it is made with a hollow bore needle

- If the source patient has a high viral load

- If the sharp instrument is visibly contaminated with blood

For further information for health care workers, click here.

While there is little risk for health care workers or their clients in the UK, it is important to remember that this may not be the same in less developed countries. If you have worked in a health care setting and received a needle stick or sharps injury outside Western Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand and you have not been tested for HIV or hepatitis, you should consider doing so. Similarly if you have undergone a medical procedure outside of these areas, you should consider HIV and hepatitis testing.

Click here for details of how to get a test.

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