Drug use in the United Kingdom is among the highest reported in Western Europe and people who inject drugs (PWID) experience stark health inequalities, with increased morbidity and early mortality. This report explores infections, as well as associated risks and behaviours, among people who inject drugs in the UK to the end of 2019. It also presents preliminary data on the impact of COVID-19 on PWID and services in 2020.
Hepatitis C: Out of control. An audit of Strategic Health Authority hepatitis c governance
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In 2004 the Department of Health published the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England, which set out actions on surveillance, research, increasing awareness and prevention and improving service quality for patients. However, there is concern, most recently expressed by the All Party Parliamentary Hepatology Group in its report, Divided Nations: Tackling the hepatitis C challenge across the UK, that there is a lack of implementation of the Action Plan because of poor governance arrangements, monitoring and evaluation1.
This audit of Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) shows that 70% of SHAs are failing to oversee the implementation of the Action Plan, despite the fact that responsibility for oversight is placed with them in the Action Plan. Some are not aware of any local arrangements in place to deliver the Plan. Furthermore, there is absolutely no mechanism for checking that SHAs have been performing their oversight role.
