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NHS to Screen 400,000 New GP Patients Annually for Hepatitis C Risk

Starting June 16, patients aged 29 and over registering with GPs in England will be asked about pre-1996 blood transfusions, following Infected Blood Inquiry recommendations.

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Overview

  • NHS England will introduce new GP registration questions on June 16 to identify undiagnosed hepatitis C cases linked to pre-1996 blood transfusions.
  • The initiative targets approximately 400,000 patients annually, offering tests to those who report relevant transfusion histories.
  • Hepatitis C, often asymptomatic for decades, can now be cured in over 90% of cases with several weeks of antiviral medication.
  • The program responds to the 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry, which highlighted systemic failures infecting over 30,000 people with HIV and hepatitis C between the 1970s and early 1990s.
  • As of May 6, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority has invited 677 claimants to apply, with 106 payments made totaling £96 million, and a report on compensation timeliness expected later this year.