Working to eliminate Hepatitis C in prisons
The World Health Organisations goal is for micro-elimination of Hepatitis C. Our healthcare teams working in prisons have utilised the time even throughout COVID-19 to strive to meet this initiative. The determination, enthusiasm and commitment to accomplish this has been superb from all involved.
We are extremely proud of the achievements made in tackling this Public Health priority by HMP North Sea Camp, Immingration Removal Centre (IRC) Morton Hall, HMP Lowdham and HMP Lincoln. Not only have we ensured and encouraged that all our patients have had opportunity for screening for Hepatitis C, there has been additional success in improving the treatment pathways to provide curative treatment and improve quality of life for patients who have often experienced health inequalities. Our teams have worked collaboratively with prison staff and local acute trusts
It has been a similar process at all of the prisons we provide healthcare at, below you can read more detail about how this has worked at HMP Lincoln.
The team at HMP Lincoln and the combined efforts of everyone involved throughout the HCV (Hep C – Micro elimination project) has proved successful which allowed HMP Lincoln to complete the entire screening programme, reaching over 90% of its patients, tested and treatments commenced.
Special screening days have been held on each wing to offer testing to everyone for Hepatitis C as well as Hepatitis B and HIV. This was a collaborative effort with the prison, the Hepatitis C Trust, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust, enabling the testing programme to be supported by peer support, experience and training and mentorship. The prisoners were also offered Incentive Earned Privileges for engagement in the programme.
Finally a total of 578 patients have been screened for Hep C & HIV (out of 588) – over a 6 – 8 week period. This equates to over 90% of the Lincoln population were tested and screened, which as a Category B prison is a very fast and transient population.
Following on from the dedicated Hepatitis C screening programme which every patients will be offered a test and screened, all new patients who arrive at HMP Lincoln will be offered the opportunity of Blood Borne Viruses and Hepatitis C screening.
Additionally, we have weekly clinics for NHS Health checks which also incorporate collaborative screening pathways, health surveillance and wellbeing clinics, patient forums while working with external partners in collaboration to meet the high standards in Health & Justice Healthcare, to support the screening of both Blood Bourne Viruses and Sexual Health for men of all ages.
This focus and model will ensure that we reach or attempt to achieve micro-elimination in the fight against Hepatitis C and Blood Bourne Viruses at HMP Lincoln
Such an amazing piece of collaborative work across several external partners – Local Healthcare Trust, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust & hep C Trust and the HMPPS Prison teams.
A massive Thank you to all everyone who has supported the Screening Programme and he ongoing collaborative partnership working. Joint working pathways have continued and developed since the project took place through the heart of the COVID pandemic
As work continues across all of the sites to eliminate Hepatitis C for our patients, we look forward to the future successes.
As well as this fantastic work in prisons, our Health Shop is also working on an ambitious project in Nottingham City to eliminate Hepatitis C. You can read more about it here.
