Entries now open for 2014 Quality in Care Hepatitis C programme

NHS, industry and the charitable sector collaborate to spread best practice in hepatitis C prevention, diagnosis, treatment and patient support

The first Quality in Care (QiC) Hepatitis C programme is now open for entry to teams and individuals working within the field of hepatitis C.

Launched last week at the International Liver Congress in London, QiC Hepatitis C recognises, rewards and shares good practice in hepatitis C prevention, diagnosis & testing, treatment pathways and patient support throughout the UK.

Often referred to as the ‘Silent Epidemic’ due to its symptoms being mistaken for other illnesses, hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that predominantly infects the cells of the liver, resulting in inflammation and organ damage. It is estimated that around 215,000 people in the UK have chronic hepatitis C, with more than 10,000 new cases reported in England during 2012.

To support improved healthcare in this area, QiC Hepatitis C comprises both an awards event and subsequent dissemination opportunities, and has the endorsement, support and active participation of key stakeholders, including the British Liver Trust, the Hepatitis C Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences.

Joint working and collaboration are key to the QiC Programme and entries are invited from the NHS, industry, private sector and patient organisations to be reviewed by a panel of judges made up of nurses, commissioners, clinicians, patient representatives and leading industry professionals.

Andrew Langford, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust said: “The British Liver Trust believes that QiC provides an effective means of both recognising and learning from new ways of working that will help drive up the quality of awareness raising, prevention and patient care.”

Charles Gore, Chief Executive, The Hepatitis C Trust said: “We are delighted to support QiC which will identify and share good practice and help to spread expertise and knowledge of successful initiatives to improve the care of patients with hepatitis C.”

Entry details can be found at http://www.qualityincare.org/hepc and the deadline for entries is June 13, 2014.

Winners of the 2014 awards will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday September 16, 2014 at the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) conference in Gateshead.