HIV sufferers could soon be able to work as surgeons or dentists. The Department of Health wants to lift the current ban because it claims any risk to patients is "very low." Health workers who are HIV positive are banned from performing most surgery or dental treatment in case they cut themselves with their instruments and infect patients with their blood. They can become GPs, hospital doctors, nurses or midwives and carry out nearly all day-to-day tasks, including giving injections, which are considered low risk. But the Department of Health wants to lift the ban because it says the chance of a health worker infecting a patient is "negligible". It has undertaken research suggesting the risk of a patient catching HIV from their doctor, dentist or surgeon is less than one in 5 million, similar to that of being killed by lightning. Officials say the risk can be further reduced by ensuring any infected member of staff takes medication to reduce their virus count, which means it cannot easily be passed on. There are 110 frontline workers in the NHS with HIV who would be affected by the rule change.