Micro-elimination in Knowsley

Hepatitis C (hep C) is one of the most common blood borne viruses in the country. With the right testing and treatment, most people with hep C can be cured with few or no side effects. 

When we say an area has micro-eliminated hepatitis C, that means it has reached these targets: 

  • 100% of people using the service have been offered a hepatitis C test. 
  • 90% of these people have then been tested. 
  • 75% of people who were diagnosed with hepatitis C have started treatment. 

These targets were set by NHS England as part of their target to eliminate hepatitis C as a major public health concern.  

Thanks to a lot of hard work from the whole team, Knowsley has been able to hit these targets and micro eliminate hepatitis C.

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“Staff worked really hard to ensure everyone’s needs were met, and that we used various methods to reach out to those at risk and those who needed to be tested.  

We used our clinical bus and met people where they were at rather than expecting them to come to us. We used dry blood spot testing instead of our usual process. Throughout the week we would review our data to improve our planning, and sent out text message reminders to service users.”  - Lisa, Service Manager

The service also worked with Royal Liverpool Hospital, which provided vouchers to encourage people to participate.  

Lead Nurse Leah Swift said:   
 

This has been very much a whole team approach to care. Colleagues have embraced the education offered and it is very much part of our culture to offer and respond to this type of testing where needed. We have endeavoured to make every contact count and to avoid missing valuable opportunities for testing and treatment.” 
 

The service was also praised by its commissioner, David Byrne:  
 

Working with the team in Knowsley has been a positive experience from start to finish, the team have worked hard to ensure testing pathways are robust and achieving micro elimination is the result of that hard work. The ODN will continue to work with all the team to ensure that no patient is left behind in terms of testing and access to treatment and that we meet the NHS England target of eliminating Hepatitis C by 2025.” 

 

Find out more about hepatitis C and testing for it here

Go back to the Knowsley news page

 

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