500 Former Patients of HIV-Positive British Health Care Worker Offered HIV Tests

More than 500 patients of an HIV-positive U.K. health care worker have been offered HIV tests after health officials discovered the patients "might have had 'an exposure-prone procedure'" involving the worker, who is no longer performing medical procedures, the Guardian reports. Health officials are barred from providing any information that may identify the worker, his or her employer or any health care facility involved with the worker over the past five years (Meikle, Guardian, 2/19). In November, another HIV-positive British health care worker filed suit to prevent the National Health Service from notifying his former patients of his HIV status (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 11/20/01). Under new rules issued in January by the U.K. Department of Health, patients treated by an HIV-positive doctor or nurse are not automatically told that they may be at risk for HIV transmission; only those at serious risk for HIV are informed (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 12/5/01).