Hepatitis: Disease Control
Question
Peter Dowd
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for the maintenance phase of hepatitis C elimination once England has reached the World Health Organization elimination metrics.
Answer
Significant progress has been made in the effort to eliminate Hepatitis C (HCV) in England. NHS England has publicly committed to the elimination of HCV in England in advance of the World Health Organization’s target of 2030, aiming to eliminate by 2025.
Work to support the elimination maintenance phase is currently being developed. It will involve multiple stakeholders including NHS England Specialised Commissioning, integrated care boards (ICBs), the Department, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In addition, commissioning arrangements for HCV elimination are expected to be devolved to local levels, with ICBs managing funding for issues such as testing and treatment. UKHSA will continue to monitor maintenance of elimination through routine surveillance data.