The Herefordshire Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, which is part of the social enterprise Turning Point, announced today that they have achieved Hepatitis C micro-elimination.
Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus that damages the liver. Over time, persistent infection can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or cancer. Globally, Hepatitis C causes around 290,000 deaths and 1.5 million new infections each year.
Injecting drug use (previous or current) continues to be the most important risk factor for Hepatitis C infection in the UK.
The Turning Point service in Herefordshire achieved micro-elimination by meeting four targets set out by the NHS, which are 100 per cent of people using the service have been offered a hepatitis C test; 98 per cent of those with a history of injecting have been tested, 90 per cent of these people have then been tested in the last 12 months and 90 per cent of people who were diagnosed with hepatitis C have started treatment.
Lee from Herefordshire recently found out they were clear of Hep C.
“Turning Point has been an invaluable ally in my journey towards better health,” said Lee.
“Their dedication to harm reduction and engagement has not only facilitated the diagnosis and treatment of my hepatitis C, but also provided me with the support and guidance I needed. With their help, I have experienced a
transformative turning point in my life, where I am not only free from hepatitis C but free from addiction. Today I have hope for a healthy and much better future for myself and my family.”
The World Health Organization has set an aim of eliminating the virus as a major public health threat by 2030.
Deaths from Hepatitis C – including liver disease and cancer – have fallen by 35 per cent since NHS England struck a five-year deal worth almost £1bn to buy antiviral drugs for thousands of patients in 2018.
NHS England set micro-elimination targets in order to eliminate hep C as a major health concern in the UK by 2025.
Micro-elimination of Hepatitis C is a strategy to incrementally achieve national elimination through initiatives that eliminate hepatitis C for defined segments of the population, such as within settings, geographic areas, sub-populations and age cohorts.
Chris Franks, Operations Manager at Turning Point’s Herefordshire Recovery Service, said:
“Achieving micro-elimination has been an ambition of ours for some time and I am incredibly proud we have now achieved it ahead of the NHS England target of 2025.
“Working in partnership with the local Hepatology Department and with support from the Hepatitis C Trust we have actively promoted testing and access to treatment. These efforts have led to over 50 people completing treatment, resulting in the improvement of the health and wellbeing of the people we support, their families and the wider community”.
Matt Pearce, Director of Public Health at Herefordshire County Council said:
“Congratulations to Turning Point and partners for all their hard work in achieving the micro-elimination of Hepatitis C. This is a hugely important milestone in working towards the NHS target of eliminating Hepatitis C by 2025”.
