GPS to help NHS find more infected blood victims

GPS in England and its patients should help the NHS find more victims of the contaminated blood scandal.

It is believed that thousands of people in the 1970s, 80s and 90s can be exposed to hepatitis -c virus by contaminated blood transfusions. Part of a scandal that affected more than 30,000 people in Great Britain.

From June, patients who registered with a family practice who received a blood transfusion before 1996 will be tested for hepatitis C.

The BBC revealed the extent of non -diagnosed cases last year, since people with life -threatening liver damage caused by the virus continue to be identified for many years.

Hepatitis C can now be treated by modern antiviral drugs to eliminate the virus for most patients.

However, if it is undiscovered and not diagnosed, there may be no noticeable symptoms for some time and can infect the liver and cause serious damage and leave the organ beyond repair.

Maureen Arkley, who died last year, was diagnosed in 2023 hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver, more than 40 years after surgery with several blood transfusions. These were on their medical documents, but her family doctor or someone in the NHS was not informed that she could have been exposed to the virus.

BBC News emphasized its case as one of many people who were left out due to the lack of tests after the infected blood scandal.

It is one of the largest treatment disasters in the history of the NHS – 3,000 people who have been infected with HIV and hepatitis C after contaminated blood products have died.

Many of the victims were hemophilic that received infected blood products as part of their treatment.

Many thousands of other transfusions with contaminated blood were received after accidents, emergencies or birth.

Maureen died in February 2024, five months after her diagnosis and 47 years after a blood transfusion.

“The end was absolutely terrible, she weighed less than four stone when she died,” her daughter Victoria told the BBC.

According to NHS England, around 400,000 people are asked every year, born before 1996, whether they ever had a blood transfusion through the online GP registration form.

This was a step that was recommended in the infected Blood Inquiry report published in May 2024.

If an earlier blood transfusion is confirmed, the patients can test themselves for hepatitis C at home, using a finger stitch blood test, which is then published in a laboratory for analysis.

According to NHS England, tests can also be carried out at GP operations, clinics for sexual health and other locations.

The Charity Hepatitis C Trust also encourages everyone who had a blood transfusion before 1996, including the current GP patients.

“Every two weeks we hear from someone who is infected by a transfusion with hepatitis C that only finds out now,” said the managing director of the charity, Rachel Halford.

“All of these people have had hepatitis C for more than three decades. Some are very sick. A proactive approach is crucial for the achievement and diagnosis of those who are not aware of their infection.”

The medical director of NHS England, Prof. Stephen Powis, said that the “simple change” of the GP registration process is “an important step forward” to ensure that nobody who is affected by contaminated blood is “not diagnosed and not supported”.

“The failures of the contaminated blood scandal have had a terrible influence on patients and their families for decades, and I would like to repeat our deepest excuses for the role of health service for so many,” he added.

Health officers say that the risk of obtaining an infection from a blood transfusion or blood products, since the screening of blood donation has been introduced is very low.

All blood donations have been examined for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C since September 1991.