The Cocoon project, set up in Tayside, Scotland seeks to address the high rate of drug-related deaths in the area.
The project delivers point-of-care diagnosis of HCV in needle exchange sites, while also integrating services which typically require travel to alternate NHS sites to reduce the burden of multiple visits and different providers. The result is a ‘one-stop’ holistic care bundle which seeks to address the inequity of access experienced by PWUD by increasing their engagement through services tailored to their specific needs.
Greater Manchester Commissioning Guidelines for Blood Borne Virus Prevention
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The burden of blood borne viruses in Greater Manchester is high. There is an upward trend in the number of HIV diagnoses in in the area and an escalation in patients attending hospitals with complications resulting from Hepatitis C. The Greater Manchester Blood Borne Virus Prevention Commissioning Guidelines are based on the Greater Manchester Blood Borne Virus Prevention Strategy. Both documents were developed by the Greater Manchester Hepatitis C Strategy (GMHCVS), a public health programme funded by the Greater Manchester Director of Public Health group. The most common serious viruses carried in people's bloodstreams are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Collectively these are known as blood borne viruses (BBVs). The Greater Manchester Hepatitis C Strategy (GMHCVS) Blood Borne Virus Prevention Strategy recognises the need for integrated, local BBV prevention strategy activities to prevent future infections and reduce the ever increasing impact of BBVs on the health services.
