Hospital to test patients and staff for hepatitis C

Around 58 million people live with hepatitis C across the world

Patients and hospital staff are to be tested for hepatitis C as part of a public health project.

A recent trial began on a few hospital wards at Hull Royal Infirmary but has since been extended to the rest of the hospital ahead of World Hepatitis Day on 28 July.

It is part of a global campaign led by the World Health Organisation, which NHS England has joined.

Infectious diseases consultant Dr Nick Easom, from NHS Humber Health Partnership, said the project was a "major leap forward in helping us to identify cases" and would help "prevent people from becoming seriously unwell".

Hepatitis C is a virus spread through contact with infected blood.

People can be exposed to it if they’ve undergone medical or dental procedures abroad, had tattoos or facial fillers and injections, or injected drugs intravenously.

Though many people have no symptoms at all it can cause fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine and jaundice.

Dr Easom said it can have "potentially serious consequences" such as liver damage and can sometimes be fatal.

Nurse Specialist Vicki Butterwick said most patients and staff would be tested using "a simple finger prick test".

She said it was "a good way of ruling out negative cases very quickly" and to treat those that are positive.

NHS Humber Health Partnership said if the trial was successful, it might extend the scheme to other hospitals within the group.