Dr Brian Iddon congratulates Bolton PCT on their Hepatitis C Services

Dr Brian Iddon MP joined Gordon Roddick in congratulating Bolton for taking action to tackle hepatitis C - exactly a year after Gordon Roddick’s late wife, Dame Anita Roddick, revealed she had the potentially fatal disease. 

Their announcement comes as a new report into hepatitis C services across the country revealed that Bolton is amongst the best performing Primary Care Trusts in the league table for hepatitis C services. Bolton PCT received 9 out of 10 in this audit and is considered by the report to be effectively implementing the Department of Health’s Hepatitis C Action Plan for England (2004)  

The report, by a group of concerned MPs and Peers, shows that only a third of PCTs are effectively implementing the government’s own Action Plan for Hepatitis C, over three years after the Action Plan was published. 

Hepatitis C is often known as the ‘silent killer’ as people can live with it undiagnosed and without symptoms for many years.  There are estimated to be 230,000-466,000 people with hepatitis C in England, but only 63,000 have been diagnosed.  The report shows that PCTs need to go further to diagnose and treat people in their area with hepatitis C in order to save lives.

Dr Iddon said:

“I am delighted that Bolton PCT is at the top of the league table of hepatitis C services. 

“There are up to 500,000 people living with hepatitis C in the UK, but only 1 in 8 of these people has been diagnosed.  I want Bolton PCT to lead the way in tackling this deadly disease.”

Commenting on the results for Bolton PCT Gordon Roddick said:

“I would like to say well done and thank you to Bolton PCT.  I know from experience how important it is for hepatitis C patients to get specialised support, really good information and proper referral to a hospital that can offer prompt treatment where that’s appropriate. And their families need good information too. I’m delighted that at last a significant number of patients are getting the care they need.

1. The Body Shop founder and green campaigner Dame Anita Roddick chose February 14th 2007 to tell the world that she had hepatitis C.  She became infected through a blood transfusion in 1971 when giving birth to her youngest daughter.  She died in September 2007, aged 64.

2. PCTs scored between 0/10 to 10/10 in the Audit.  The full All-Party Parliamentary Hepatology Group audit report, including regional comparisons, is available from The Hepatitis C Trust website:  www.hepctrust.org.uk

3. About hepatitis C:

• Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that principally affects the liver.
• Liver damage occurs slowly over 20-30 years and can lead to liver scarring (fibrosis), cirrhosis and ultimately to liver cancer or liver failure and death.
• It can be symptom-less which has led hepatitis C to be termed ‘The Silent Epidemic’.
• There are estimated to be between 231,000 (HPA) to 466,000 (University of Southampton research) infected with hepatitis C in England.
• As a relatively newly identified disease (1989), there are still many aspects of it that are little or poorly understood.
• Hepatitis C is already a major cause of liver transplant in the UK.
• Yearly deaths from hepatitis C have trebled in the last 10 years
• There is no vaccine but treatment is available which can cure the disease in around half of patients

4. More details about hepatitis C can be found at www.hepctrust.org.uk