Health Chiefs Gather for ‘Tackling Hepatitis C in the South West’ Summit

Health chiefs from around the South West will gather together to hear results of a ground-breaking pilot to tackle hepatitis C in the South West. Learning from this work will be used to help inform the delivery of hepatitis C services nationally.

The Tackling Hepatitis C in the South West Summit will take place on October 14 at 2pm in the Kennford and Exminster Room at the Exeter Court Hotel, Kennford, Exeter.

In 2014, national charity Addaction, The Hepatitis C Trust and pharmaceutical company AbbVie formed a partnership to pilot an ambitious project to improve access to hepatitis C testing and treatment in the South West, with an ultimate aim of eliminating the potentially fatal virus.

Addaction delivers drug and alcohol services in North Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Bournemouth. As part of the project, Addaction trained all front line staff in awareness and how to test, along with launching a peer educator system, which sees people who have had HCV delivering a personal message to service users about the importance of being tested and getting treated.
              
The summit will be used to mark the forthcoming publication of the final pilot results and showcase the pilot’s positive impact on local hepatitis C services.

The event will provide attendees the chance to hear expert presentations and engage in open discussions about the existing opportunities to roll out the pilot in other areas of the country.

Local MPs, councillors, healthcare commissioners, clinical experts, journalists and organisations supporting people who use drugs are all invited to take part in the discussion.