In Cumbria, traditionally, HIV diagnosis has been a slow process.

However, one of the results of this was an opportunity to get a grant from Public Health England so more testing could take place in pharmacies. This has since become a fully funded on-going project.

This week, ahead of World Aids Day, Public Health England has published a report showing how, across England, different areas have achieved their ‘90-90-90’ targets.

These were ambitious targets set by global charity UNAIDS to ensure as many people as possible knew they had the condition and received the appropriate treatment. This makes the UK one of the first countries to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, showing that prevention efforts are working. Figures revealed in 2017 show that 92 per cent of people living with HIV in the UK have been diagnosed, 98 per cent of those diagnosed were on treatment, and 97 per cent of those on treatment were virally suppressed.

Dr Matt Phillips, Cumbria’s director of sexual health services, says: “We’re so passionate here about getting good sexual health for Cumbrians. We want it to be as good in every community in Cumbria as it is in city centres such as London. We’ve got the passion, we’ve got the ambition and drive.”

The battle has been fought for years to tackle the epidemic that is HIV and, in just over 30 years, outcomes have changed from the virus being a death sentence to being able to live a healthy life.

Dr Phillips explains what these results mean: “I’m delighted, there were concerns we wouldn’t reach that outcome nationally, but we have, which is just brilliant. Now it’s time to stretch them even further, because 90-90-90 leaves out 10-10-10. It was good that the bar was set nice and high but it’s not a time for us to become complacent. It’s a time for us to push the bar even further because it’s only by doing that we will bring the epidemic to an end.”

Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle announced he was HIV positive in the House of Commons this week and it has sparked interest in the way people live and deal with a positive diagnosis. The Labour MP said: “In some ways I’m incredibly lucky, I’m a white gay man in a very liberal open city and so, out of all of the groups of people, I will probably fare better.

“If you are not in that same category, if you live in a rural area, if you find it difficult to access services, if you are black or older or a woman then those things mean stigma is much higher, so it’s much harder to talk about it. Talking about that is really important.”

This in part gives hope to the people who live in Cumbria, as they have access to pharmacies, and a test can be done in less than 15 minutes. This has been demonstrated in the past when Prince Harry was tested for HIV.

Ben Vollans, manager of Outreach Cumbria, said: “Cumbria has one of the highest rates of late diagnosis in the country and we hope to improve that by giving people access to a service they would normally shy away from. These people are most at risk and may be scared off at the idea that they may visit the local sexual health clinic and be seen. The rationale for using a pharmacy is that you could be going to talk about absolutely anything, so no one will know why you are there.”

Another survey – of 1,350 people with HIV, conducted by the charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and released to mark the 30th World Aids Day – found 50 per cent of people said they had experienced discrimination because of their HIV status. “We now have the tools to end HIV transmission here in the UK – a combination of regular testing, PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis medication], condoms and treatment as prevention, and it’s vital we continue to ensure people are aware of those tools, know how and are able to access them,” said THT chief executive Ian Green.

On achieving the final 10 per cent, Dr Phillips said: “I was old enough in 1987 to remember the tombstone advert, when catching HIV was a death sentence. As I speak to you, if I diagnose someone with HIV and got them on treatment they would be able to lead a life that is as long as anyone else.

“It’s really important that the ‘undetectable equals untransmittable’ message is heard. That means that someone who is on HIV treatment, who is taking it well, and their HIV is responding well cannot pass on HIV.

“Who would have dream of it? Fifteen years ago we wouldn’t have dreamed of it, so I think, if we can make the things that seemed impossible possible then that 10 per cent is the smallest challenge we have faced. We can do that.”