As part of an NHS drive to find undiagnosed patients affected by the contaminated blood scandal, new patients at GP surgeries will be asked if they had a blood transfusion before 1996.
Each year, around 400,000 people born before 1996 will now be asked if they received a historic blood transfusion, with those who did then being offered a test for hepatitis C (infected blood).
Patients will be able to order discreet, self-testing hepatitis C kits to complete at home, involving an easy finger-prick blood sample, which is then posted to a lab for analysis, or they can also access testing at GP surgeries, sexual health clinics and other services.
Health Minister Ashley Dalton explained the new initiative: “The infected blood scandal is one of the gravest injustices this country has ever seen. The government has been clear that nothing of this nature can ever happen again, and we must take tangible action.
“This initiative will see patients asked about their history and given access to the tests they need if they are at risk of hepatitis C.”
The hidden dangers of hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the liver and, if left untreated, can sometimes cause serious and potentially life-threatening liver damage over many years.
It often does not have any noticeable symptoms until the liver has already been significantly damaged, meaning many people have the infection without realising it.
However, once diagnosed, hepatitis C can be treated successfully by taking direct-acting antivirals for several weeks, curing more than 9 out of 10 patients with infected blood.
“Thanks to the brilliant advancements in treatment, hepatitis C can be quickly cured through a short course of tablets,” said Rachel Halford, CEO of Hepatitis C Trust.
“A more proactive approach is critical to reaching and diagnosing those who remain unaware of their infection.”
New guidance for patients and GPs
The new questions will first be introduced in the online GP registration service from next month and follow a recommendation by Sir Brian Langstaff in the Infected Blood Inquiry report, published in May 2024.
NHS England has issued new guidance to GPs on introducing the questions, capturing responses, and supporting patients when a transfusion and blood infection risk is indicated.
Only newly registered patients born on or before 31 December 1995 will be asked if they have had a blood transfusion.
The new questions remind patients of likely reasons they may have had a blood transfusion, including after an accident, complications during childbirth, surgery, or other medical treatment.
NHS blood supply among the safest in the world
Rigorous modern safety standards continue to ensure that the NHS blood supply is now among the safest in the world.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, explained: “The failures of the contaminated blood scandal have had a horrifying impact on patients and their families for decades.
“The NHS is dedicated to implementing the inquiry’s recommendations, and this simple change to the GP registration process for patients is a vital step forward in ensuring that nobody affected by contaminated blood is living undiagnosed and unsupported.”
