The Hepatitis C Trust welcomes success in prison health campaign in the UK

The Hepatitis C Trust is delighted to announce a success in our campaign to secure better services for people in prison with hepatitis C.

A new National Partnership Agreement between The National Offender Management Service (NOMS), NHS England (NHSE) and Public Health England (PHE) for the Co-Commissioning and Delivery of Healthcare Services in Prisons in England contains a commitment to introduce the offer of an opt-out test for hepatitis C, and other blood borne viruses (BBVs), by April 2014.

For the past 18 months, the Trust has campaigned tirelessly to introduce opt-out BBV tests for all prisoners upon entering the prison setting. Hepatitis C prevalence is higher in prisons than the general public, so testing in this setting is vital. One study estimates that almost 1 in 10 prisoners had the virus , yet only 6% of inmates were tested for it in 20112. It is estimated that more than half of those living with the condition are undiagnosed, but if caught early it can be treated and cured.

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