Local democracy reporter Ed Barnes wrote, with additional reporting by Birkenhead News.
After years of work, an infection that could cause liver failure in severe cases has been “eliminated” in Wirral, the committee said.
Hepatitis C (for which there is currently no vaccine) can cause serious and potentially life-threatening damage if left untreated for many years. With modern treatments, the infection can be cured and most people can have a normal life expectancy.
A meeting of Wirral Council’s public health committee was told “Hepatitis C is now eliminated from the borough”. However, officials later clarified that this did not mean it did not exist at all.
In 2019, it was estimated that around 118,000 people in the UK were living with chronic hepatitis C. People can become infected after coming into contact with the blood of an infected person, with people who inject drugs at greatest risk.
The infection was eliminated by working with substance abuse services across the Wirral as part of the local authority’s health protection strategy. A new report claims a small number of service users are refusing to be tested.
Helen Stott, the council’s head of health protection, said it was “absolutely good news”, adding: “Hopefully we can build on the strengths of this and then try to look further into whether we can also provide testing and provide Other groups served. Treat early.”
“This has been a few years in the making, but we finally made it happen,” she said.
Ms Stott said there were specific criteria which meant 100 per cent of people using substance abuse services were tested, 90 per cent were tested and 75 per cent of those who tested positive received treatment.
Dave Bradburn, director of Wirral Public Health Board, added: “I just want to emphasize that this is micro-elimination of hepatitis C. It does not mean that hepatitis C is not endemic in Wirral at all.
“We’ve got it down to such a low, manageable level that it’s not as much of a threat as it is to other members of the population, whether it’s people who inject drugs (which is the main mode of transmission).”
The team at Wirral Ways, part of national health and social care charity Change Grow Live, are working tirelessly to eliminate hepatitis C by focusing on blood-borne virus (BBV) testing.
Blood spot testing can check for BBVs such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, as people who inject drugs are at increased risk of contracting these viruses.
Change Grow Live North West Hepatitis C Coordinator Johnathan Occleshaw said, “I’m absolutely delighted to tell you that our fantastic Wirral Ways service has achieved micro-elimination of hepatitis C – making Wirral Ways the largest service to date to announce this target.
“This service has been on the verge of collapse for several months and this shows we can maintain it.”
Gary Grier, project manager at Wirral Ways, said: “Achieving micro-elimination is an outstanding initiative, but the best part is promoting better health outcomes for the people who use our services. “This has been an outstanding effort by everyone involved. “
He added: “We have worked closely and tirelessly with staff at Arrow Park Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Without their help, and the support and guidance of the Hepatitis C Trust and Gilead Sciences, this development would not have been possible. The goal is impossible to achieve.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, please contact Wirral Ways.You can make a referral by calling 0151 556 1335 or visiting www.changegrowlive.org/wirral-ways 
Local democracy reporter Ed Barnes wrote, with additional reporting by Birkenhead News.
image: BBV testing is being completed at Wirral Ways.Image source: Wirral Road
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