Sexual health and blood borne virus action plan: 2023 to 2026

Hepatitis C (HCV) Elimination

The Scottish Government has committed to the elimination of HCV as a public health concern in Scotland by the end of the 2024/25 financial year, building on the significant progress which has already been made, particularly in NHS Tayside, in reducing infection rates and severe disease. As at May 2022, there were an estimated 5,000 people diagnosed with a chronic HCV infection living in Scotland, with work ongoing to provide an estimate of the number of undiagnosed cases. Prior to the pandemic, HCV treatment targets for each of Scotland's NHS Boards were set out, providing a route map to elimination.

Whilst the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic slowed progress towards this ambitious target, the Scottish Government is continuing to work collaboratively with NHS Boards and other key stakeholders to outline creative approaches towards identifying and treating people with HCV. Scottish Government has set out revised treatment targets for each territorial NHS Board on this basis and we will work with NHS Boards to overcome barriers to meeting these targets.

It is also important that once we do reach our HCV elimination target that we work to maintain this and consider work required to ensure suitability beyond the elimination goal and beyond 2025.

Action 14: NHS Boards to continue to work towards their HCV elimination target for 2023/24 and 2024/25.