New Hepatitis C screening programme launched at Brighton hospital
The testing is being rolled out at the Royal Sussex from Monday (March 6th)
From today (Monday 6th March), patients who attend A&E at a Brighton hospital will now be screened for Hepatitis C during routine blood tests.
The screening is being offered to all patients 16 and over at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, unless they choose to opt out.
It follows on from a similar programme for routine HIV testing, which was introduced at the hospital's emergency department in April last year.
It is a key part of the NHS drive to end new Hepatitis C infections ahead of global targets and has already been implemented in several other NHS Trusts.
Blood borne viruses (BBV) such as Hepatitis C and HIV are relatively common and can affect anyone. The earlier people find out whether they are infected, the better the chance of a long and healthy life, and no further onward transmission.
Duncan Cresswell, the Clinical Networks Manager for Hepatitis C and Vascular at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSussex) said:
"We are very pleased to add Hepatitis C to our blood borne virus screening for emergency care patients at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Hepatitis C is now curable with a simple short course of tablets.
"Following treatment, people cannot pass the virus on. If left untreated, however, Hepatitis C can cause serious liver damage and cancer, so early diagnosis and treatment is incredibly important and now more valuable than ever.
"The County’s emergency department represents a fantastic opportunity to help find undiagnosed and untreated patients and provide them with the support they need to successfully complete treatment".
Patients can choose to opt out of being screened for HIV or Hepatitis C by speaking to the clinician in the Emergency Department. Patients will be contacted within two weeks if their test suggests they are living with HIV or Hepatitis C.​
Zoe Yates, Peer Programme Manager Sussex from The Hepatitis C Trust, said:
“This will provide us with an important opportunity to help identify people who may be unknowingly living with Hepatitis C and fast track them into treatment.
"It will also provide us with a platform to re-engage patients who may know they have an active Hepatitis C virus, but who have been lost to follow up and not completed treatment."