PIONEERING work is taking place in Bournemouth as part of a bid to
eliminate the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus from the area.
Leading drug and alcohol charity Addaction has joined forces with the Hepatitis C Trust, supported by biopharmaceutical company AbbVie, to lead a ground-breaking pilot project.
Details of the initiative will be revealed at a meeting of the resort’s top health professionals and decision makers today, March 18.
As part of the project, Addaction Bournemouth is announcing the launch of a peer-to-peer education scheme.
This involves training people who have battled with hepatitis C and been successfully treated, to share their experiences with others, encouraging them to get tested and access treatment.
The blood-borne virus is a potentially fatal infection that can cause serious liver disease including cirrhosis, liver cancer and end-stage liver failure. It is more infectious than HIV and is the most prevalent blood-borne virus in the UK.
Despite this, half of people infected are unaware of their condition and 90 per cent of people catch it through injecting drugs.
In Bournemouth, Public Health England figures suggest there are 6.75 people aged 15 to 64 who inject drugs per 1,000 population – the highest figure in the south west and significantly higher than the national average of 2.49.
However, 93 per cent of people in substance misuse treatment who inject drugs, and are eligible, have received a test for HCV, far above the national average of 85.2 per cent.
As part of the pioneering project there has already been a targeted awareness campaign, needle exchange services are being made easily accessible and all Addaction staff are being trained in HCV awareness, treatment options and how to carry out blood spot tests.
Stuart Smith, head of drug services at The Hepatitis C Trust, said: “There has been some really great work taking place in Bournemouth thanks to the council recognising this issue.
"We are looking forward to building on this success with Addaction and the peer to peer educators and hope discussions at the meeting will find more ways to make these services accessible and community-based.”
Dr Earl Williams, lead consultant in hepatology at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, will be chairing the meeting and attendees include Conor Burns MP as well as councillors, healthcare commissioners and prominent clinicians. The meeting will also be attended by Addaction staff and representatives of AbbVie.
Attendees will hear from experts and be asked to recognise HCV testing and treatment as a priority for Bournemouth, commit to the aim of eradicating it from our communities and bringing treatment into the community as well as at the hospital.
Leading drug and alcohol charity Addaction has joined forces with the Hepatitis C Trust, supported by biopharmaceutical company AbbVie, to lead a ground-breaking pilot project.
Details of the initiative will be revealed at a meeting of the resort’s top health professionals and decision makers today, March 18.
As part of the project, Addaction Bournemouth is announcing the launch of a peer-to-peer education scheme.
This involves training people who have battled with hepatitis C and been successfully treated, to share their experiences with others, encouraging them to get tested and access treatment.
The blood-borne virus is a potentially fatal infection that can cause serious liver disease including cirrhosis, liver cancer and end-stage liver failure. It is more infectious than HIV and is the most prevalent blood-borne virus in the UK.
Despite this, half of people infected are unaware of their condition and 90 per cent of people catch it through injecting drugs.
In Bournemouth, Public Health England figures suggest there are 6.75 people aged 15 to 64 who inject drugs per 1,000 population – the highest figure in the south west and significantly higher than the national average of 2.49.
However, 93 per cent of people in substance misuse treatment who inject drugs, and are eligible, have received a test for HCV, far above the national average of 85.2 per cent.
As part of the pioneering project there has already been a targeted awareness campaign, needle exchange services are being made easily accessible and all Addaction staff are being trained in HCV awareness, treatment options and how to carry out blood spot tests.
Stuart Smith, head of drug services at The Hepatitis C Trust, said: “There has been some really great work taking place in Bournemouth thanks to the council recognising this issue.
"We are looking forward to building on this success with Addaction and the peer to peer educators and hope discussions at the meeting will find more ways to make these services accessible and community-based.”
Dr Earl Williams, lead consultant in hepatology at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, will be chairing the meeting and attendees include Conor Burns MP as well as councillors, healthcare commissioners and prominent clinicians. The meeting will also be attended by Addaction staff and representatives of AbbVie.
Attendees will hear from experts and be asked to recognise HCV testing and treatment as a priority for Bournemouth, commit to the aim of eradicating it from our communities and bringing treatment into the community as well as at the hospital.
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