Hepatitis C lookbacks

We can confirm that a review of patients' case notes in hospitals across England and Scotland has been carried out.

The review was an extension of two previous patient notification exercises (lookbacks) that were triggered by the discovery that two separate health care workers (HCWs) were infected with Hepatitis C and had transmitted the disease to one of their patients.

The two previous NHS lookbacks undertaken in 2005 identified five patients in total who had developed hepatitis C probably as a result of transmission of the infection from the HCWs. These were patients who underwent the most invasive procedures carried out by these healthcare workers.

In view of these transmissions, the UK Advisory Panel for Health Care Workers Infected with Blood-borne Viruses ( UKAP) advised the NHS Trusts that the lookbacks should be extended to include patients who underwent all other invasive procedures as well. Trusts are notifying these patients.

Patients who are notified will have the opportunity to contact a helpline and to receive counselling and a hepatitis C test. The risk of infection is very small and the screening is being offered by the NHS as a precautionary measure.