Mersey Care has become the first NHS Trust in the UK to eliminate Hepatitis C from their patients and maintain this for more than six months.
Mersey Care’s community alcohol and drug addictions team are based at Brook Place in Liverpool, and users have now been free of the disease for the last eight months.
Hepatitis C is a virus which can cause serious and potentially life-threatening damage for the liver, and is particularly common among more deprived communities, including those with a history of substance address.
According to the latest figures provided by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) last year, Hep C is most common among some of the most deprived areas in the country, so eliminating the virus helps towards Mersey Care’s aim of reducing health inequalities.
In order to achieve this consistency amongst their users, almost everybody registered was tested regardless of the risks which they have been exposed to, and regularly reviewing the risk status.
Featured image (c) Mersey Care
