Hepatitis C

Last year the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough DAATs put in a successful bid to the NTA (National Treatment Agency) for a substantial amount of money to run a project aimed at raising awareness of Hepatitis C amongst drug users.

Overview of the Project
Raising awareness will be done through training staff, raising awareness during needle exchange sessions and wide distribution of literature regarding Hepatitis C to as many people as possible. The funding will go towards Hepatitis C training for 2 workers from each agency in the area to gain greater understanding of the disease and an ability for each service to provide pre/post test support.

Saliva testing will be provided at selected services for 315 users. OraSure oral fluid testing will be used. The collection device is a cotton pad treated with salts. This is placed between the client’s gum and cheek and left for 2 minutes. During this time the salts dissolve, causing a part of the blood – "serum" – to be drawn through the cheek and absorbed into the cotton pad. The sample is collected without any pain or bleeding. This gives an accurate and reliable picture of anti-bodies in the persons system. If the test comes back positive, the client is tested again. It is estimated that around 50% of tests will initially come back as positive.

Aims and Objectives

• To increase the knowledge of Hep C amongst drug users.
• To increase the knowledge of Hep C amongst drug agency staff.
• Set out Care Pathways for those concerned about or needing treatment for Hep C.
• Production of locality leaflet regarding Help C Care Pathways.
• Increase numbers of drug users being tested for Hep C.

Activity

• Two day training for 17 members of staff, enabling each agency to have two members of staff who can provide pre and post test support to users.
• Hep C Information distributed to wide network, including drug services, hostels, GPs, Walk-in Clinics, A&E, information services.
• 6 month secondment of a drug agency professional, one day a week to develop and define Hep C testing care pathways required by best practice in implementing Models of Care. Production of locality leaflet for users and professionals setting out these pathways.
• 1,000 saliva tests available countywide for users who are concerned about their Hep C status.

Expected Impact on Target Population

• Greater understanding of Hep C amongst professionals, users and carers.
• Greater number of drug users aware they have the disease.
• Clearer care pathways for those requiring treatment.

Exit Strategy
Workers will continue to advise clients of the risks of Hep C and where they can get tested. Local literature will have been produced setting out care pathways for Hep C testing and treatment.