Hepatitis C elimination across drug and alcohol services

This initiative is led by the NHS Addictions Provider Alliance and is commissioned by the NHS England Hepatitis C Elimination Programme. Additionally the work is supported by a joint working agreement with Gilead Sciences who do not currently provide funding to Hep C U Later.

The aim to micro-eliminate hepatitis C within the drug and alcohol services of the NHS Addictions Provider Alliance is well underway with many services declaring micro-elimination.

More about our work in drug and alcohol services

Hep C U Later works extensively across drug and alcohol services nationally, through collaborating with the NHS Trusts within the NHS Addictions Provider Alliance and providing guidance and support on:

  • Minimising data recording anomalies or issues with clinical recording systems
  • Reflecting data back on dashboards
  • Reviewing and improving testing and treatment pathways
  • Linking stakeholders
  • Supporting innovative work such as clinical outreach vans and pilot projects
  • Providing bespoke training, webinars and forums
  • Supporting with testing and treatment events
  • Supporting services to use GeneXpert (Cepheid) machines
  • Strategic planning
  • Communications and marketing strategy
  • Awareness and engagement campaigns
  • Providing benchmarking work
  • Providing resources to support staff and service users
  • Using quality improvement methodology

To read more about what we’ve achieved take a look at our Impact Report.

Joint Working Agreement Partners

NHS Addiction Provider Alliance Trusts involved with Hep C U Later

Working collaboratively

Hep C U Later collaborates with multiple national partners in the fight to micro-eliminate hepatitis C such as the Hepatitis C Trust, UKHSA, Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs), and Hepatology departments.

Gilead Sciences lead the Hep C Drug Treatment Service Provider Forum which brings together national BBV leads from across the drug treatment sector.  The NHS APA is represented by Hep C U Later and the group consists of national Blood-Borne-Virus (BBV) leads from across the third sector. Within this group, we look to standardise work to reduce inequity and continually increase the quality of hepatitis C-related interventions.

We combine our efforts to promote joint awareness campaigns and learn from each other.  Together, the Hepatitis C Drug Treatment Service Provider Forum has been shortlisted for many awards and in 2023 won the HSJ Best Healthcare Analytics Project for the NHS award.