Forward’s support for individuals on World Hepatitis Day (WHD)

It’s estimated around 118,000 people in the UK have chronic hepatitis C (2019) with the government’s most recent report  noting that around ‘7 out of 10 people who inject drugs who are still living with hepatitis C were unaware of their infection or were awaiting a testing result.”

There are many ways you can get hepatitis C, including:

• Snorting or injecting recreational drugs
• Having a tattoo or piercing in another country
• Injecting steroids
• Sharing razors or toothbrushes
• From a pregnant woman to her unborn baby
• If you received a blood transfusion or blood products before 1996
• Through unprotected sex, although this risk is low

Forward’s specialist drug and alcohol services provide free hepatitis C testing and work compassionately with individuals to highlight the risks of contracting the virus. Along with specialist medical and emotional support for individuals that have received positive diagnoses, we also provide also provide additional services – including counselling and family support. Our drug and alcohol support teams are there to support you in managing the side effects and preventing the onward spread of the virus.

Linda, one of our specialist nurses working at Swale and Medway hubs, talked about the importance of her role in helping to test, support and enable clients with positive diagnoses to move on with their lives – alongside the joy felt by those who are given the ‘all clear’.

In Forward’s drug and alcohol services, we encounter a number of clients who are either unsure, unaware or worried about whether they may have hepatitis C, which is often spread through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person.

With modern treatments, it’s usually possible to cure the virus, and most people with it will have a normal life expectancy if detected early and treated robustly. The virus can become infected with it if you come into contact with the blood of an infected person.

Eliminating hepatitis C is a key driver for this global awareness day, long considered to be a major public health issue, especially in the UK. Despite great progress, there are thousands of people living with the virus without knowing about it. We know there is more that can be done to improve education, awareness and campaigning to support more people to get tested, understand the dangers of contracting the virus and knowing where to get help.

If you, or someone you know, is worried about possibly having hepatitis C, please contact The Forward Trust – or any of the support services listed below – to get the support you need.

Sources of support

• Forward Trust service hubs – find your nearest Forward Trust drug and alcohol support service
• At home kits – get tested for hepatitis C at hepctest.nhs.uk/ref/whd24
• Toolkits and information – World Hepatitis Alliance