England closes in on eliminating hepatitis C

England is moving closer to eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat after more than 100,000 people received potentially life-saving treatment through the NHS.

NHS England announced the milestone on Monday, 10 August, a decade after the health service began its national programme to find and treat people living with the virus.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can infect the liver. Left untreated, it can cause serious and potentially life-threatening liver damage, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. However, modern direct-acting antiviral medicines can cure the vast majority of people with the infection.

The NHS programme has combined access to antiviral treatments with efforts to identify people who may not know they have hepatitis C. This has included testing in emergency departments, prisons and community settings, alongside an NHS home-testing service.

The latest milestone follows significant progress in reducing the impact of the virus in England, with NHS England saying the country is now close to eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat. The World Health Organization has set a global target to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.

England has been working towards achieving hepatitis C elimination ahead of that international target, with health leaders describing the progress made through testing and treatment as a major public health achievement.

Stay informed with the stories shaping health and social care.

Register with The Daily Round for the latest sector news, inspections & reports, wellbeing content, workforce insights, expert features and practical updates—delivered free to your inbox.