LIVERPOOL´S health and care partners have today (11 February 2026) reaffirmed the City’s global leadership in public health by announcing a bold expansion of their Fast Track Cities work. The City will now adopt an ambitious Fast Track Cities + (Plus) approach, widening its focus to end HIV, all blood-borne viruses (BBVs), and tuberculosis (TB). 

Liverpool has been a long-standing and active member of the international Fast Track Cities initiative; a global movement of cities committed to ending HIV as a public health threat. Through community engagement, strong collaboration, and innovative service delivery, Liverpool has delivered sustained progress against its HIV goals. 

In recent years, the City has significantly reduced the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV, driven by expanded testing, targeted outreach, and the redesign of sexual health services. 4 years ago, an estimated 115 people in Liverpool were living with undiagnosed HIV; this has now fallen to around 45, meaning far more people know their status and are receiving treatment. HIV late diagnoses have also dropped sharply - from 56.7% 3 years ago to 36.1% today - improving long‑term health outcomes.

Record levels of testing have supported this progress, with 108,889 tests carried out last year across sexual health services and A&E. Services are also more effective at identifying people who can benefit from PrEP, and local uptake of this vital HIV prevention medication continues to rise. Together, these improvements are enabling earlier diagnosis, faster access to care, and better prevention, bringing Liverpool closer to ending all new HIV transmissions by 2030.

Building on this success, partners across the City have now committed to go further. The new Fast Track Cities + (Plus) approach recognises the interconnected nature of HIV, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis, and the shared inequalities that influence them. This expanded commitment reflects a shared ambition to:- 

• End all new HIV transmissions and AIDS-related deaths by 2030 
• End all new viral Hepatitis B and C infections by 2030 
• End TB - achieve a 90% reduction in TB incidence by 2035 
• Eliminate stigma and discrimination related to HIV, hepatitis and TB 

 
The Fast Track Cities + (Plus) approach places a strong emphasis on prevention, early diagnosis, rapid treatment, and person-centred care. It also strengthens the City’s focus on tackling the wider social determinants of health, such as poverty, housing, migration, and access to services, ensuring that no community is left behind. 

Liverpool’s progress to date has been driven by close partnership working between the local authority, NHS organisations, voluntary and community sector groups, and people with lived experience. Together, services across the city continue to make testing more accessible than ever before, offering clinic-based testing, community outreach, and convenient online options, alongside high-quality treatment, care and support to all that need it.  

Liverpool’s Fast Track Cities + (Plus) commitment aligns the City with a growing international movement of places taking integrated, equity-focused action to end infectious diseases as public health threats. It reinforces Liverpool’s reputation as a city that is prepared to lead, innovate, and act decisively to protect and improve resident’s health. 

Working side by side with communities, and building on proven success, partners across Liverpool are united behind a clear and ambitious goal: to end HIV, eliminate bloodborne viruses and tuberculosis, and create a healthier, fairer future for everyone who lives in the City. 

The announcement comes during HIV Testing Week (9 - 15 February 2026), a national campaign encouraging people to know their status. Throughout the week, services across Liverpool will be offering a range of free, accessible testing sessions and support. Residents are encouraged to take up the opportunity to test, an important step in protecting their health and contributing to the City’s mission to end new infections. 

Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, said:- “Liverpool has shown that bold ambition, backed by strong partnerships, really does make a difference. Our progress on HIV is something we are proud of, and today’s commitment to a Fast Track Cities + approach signals our determination to go even further. By tackling HIV, Hepatitis B and C and Tuberculosis together, we can improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and support people across our City to live healthier lives.” 

Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, added:- “Our success in reducing HIV late diagnosis and improving access to testing and treatment demonstrates what is possible when we redesign services around people’s needs and involve community voice. Expanding our Fast Track Cities commitment reflects the reality that HIV, Hepatitis B and C and Tuberculosis often affect the same communities and are driven by the same inequalities. This approach allows us to be more ambitious, more joined-up, and even more impactful.” 

Dr Evdokia Dardamissis, Head of Health Protection - Cheshire and Merseyside from UKHSA North West, shared:- “I’m proud to support Liverpool’s continued commitment to tackling HIV, blood‑borne viruses, and tuberculosis. As part of the Fast Track Cities + partnership, our shared ambition to reduce new infections, eliminate preventable illness, and improve outcomes for everyone affected is both vital and within reach. I’m delighted to reaffirm this commitment and look forward to contributing to this important public health mission as we work towards ending new HIV transmissions and driving down BBV- and TB‑related harms across our city by 2030.” 

Dr Paul Hine, Consultant in Infectious Diseases and General Internal Medicine, HIV Clinical Lead, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said:- “The Fast Track Cities+ pledge represents a vital next step in our collective mission to end HIV, Hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis. What makes this pledge so important is its commitment to a genuinely integrated approach. It recognises that these conditions do not exist in isolation. Over the past few years, the Fast Track Cities movement has enabled us to build exceptional partnerships across the NHS, local authorities, academics, the voluntary sector and our communities. These partnerships have helped us to attract new funding, strengthen clinical pathways and have accelerated innovation in prevention, testing and treatment. I am very optimistic about what we can achieve next.”