Healthcare professionals joined Horizon to celebrate the micro-elimination of Hepatitis C in Blackpool.
The event was attended by over 50 nurses and health professionals who gathered at Winstone House to celebrate the impact of partnership working in achieving micro-elimination.
The micro-elimination programme started around 18 months ago, when services across Blackpool – including the NHS, Hepatitis C Trust, Gilead Sciences and Horizon – began working to test and treat high risk people within the Blackpool area.
Horizon’s Clinical Lead, Emma Macfarlane, said: “‘It was wonderful to see so many of our partners come together today to celebrate this wonderful achievement at Horizon.
“We’ve worked so hard over the last 18 months to ensure all our service users at risk of hepatitis C have been offered a test and the opportunity to access life-saving treatment if they need it.”
As a town, Blackpool had the highest rates of Hepatitis C outside of London, and previously only 22% of people at risk has been tested.
Using a shared understanding of the importance of outreach, the partnership began operating dedicated services such as a community testing van and drop-in testing sessions to boost the amount of high people at risk being identified, tested and treated.
Jane Grassham, Progamme Manager Lancashire and South Cumbria ODN Hepatitis C, has worked closely on the elimination programme. She said: “This achievement shows the power of partnership working. Together, we can keep working to achieve more by testing more, screening more and boosting engagement even further”.
She continued: “It is testament to this part of the country and those people at highest risk have now been tested. Just getting one test in a lifetime makes a huge difference”.
Without treatment, Hep C can cause long term health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver and cancer. The uptake in testing and improvement in treatment has reduced mortality rates by 37%.
Micro-elimination has also reduced the need for liver transplants in Hep C patients by 52%. This reduces the strain on the NHS and opening healthcare up to more people in need.
Education has also been a huge factor in achieving this goal. Lead Nurse Practitioner, Mike Roland, has worked in liver services at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust for the last 26 years.
During his presentation, which was a slideshow from 2004, he spoke about how the improvements in treatment have led to more people seeking help sooner.
He shared: “In 2004, half a million people were living with Hep C in the UK – it’s now down 90%. This is because there were terrible side effects from the previous treatment programme, which took longer, had less successful outcomes and was administered by an injection”.
“Today, Hep C is curable in 95% of cases within 12 weeks or less using anti-viral tablets. The treatment comes with minimal side effects and improves the quality of life”.
He concluded: “It’s not just about curing. It’s about educating, monitoring, harm reduction and pride in achieving something. The impact we can make and do is so important. We want to give people knowledge they don’t always want – but this achievement is momentous”.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) set the target of micro-elimination by 2030. In the north of England, Cheshire and South Cumbria have already achieved their target, with Greater Manchester still to reach the milestone.
During the event, which was attended by Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Wellbeing, Jo Farrell, ‘Hep Champion’ Awards were handed out to people who have made the biggest contributions and impact over the last 12 months.
Awards were given out to Horizon colleagues Emma Macfarlane, Diane Hogg, Gemma Archer, Serena Adams, Tallulah Bell and Lindsay Hunter.
There are estimated to be around 55,000 people in the UK living with Hep C who still need to be found. As a partnership, they aim to continue testing, treating, raising awareness and sharing education to reduce Hepatitis statistics further.
The Horizon service is funded by Blackpool Council to provide a wide range of drug and alcohol support for all Blackpool residents. They offer information, health screenings, treatments (including opioid substitution therapy) and counselling – all confidential and free.
To find out more, please visit horizonblackpool.uk/
