Free Hepatitis C testing will be taking place at Asda Boston’s Lister Way car park from 10am until 3pm on Thursday 16 October.
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that targets the liver. It is a curable form of viral hepatitis transmitted through blood-to-blood contact with someone with an active Hepatitis C virus but it frequently presents without symptoms so many people are unaware they have it.
Amber Copeland, Viral Hepatitis Project Support Manager, said: “Hepatitis C is a curable virus but is often symptomless and if left untreated can cause liver cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Early detection is vital in preventing long-term liver damage. Offering free and quick testing allows the public to easily check their HCV status, and if they are HCV positive, we can support with treatment. Treatment cures 98% of cases and can be completed in 8-12 weeks. No one should lose their life to Hepatitis C.”
All members of the public aged 18 and over are eligible for testing and will be provided with the appropriate support if found to have the virus.
The Hepatitis C Trust Charity and Nottingham Hepatitis C Operational Delivery Network (which also covers Lincolnshire and Derbyshire) are running the free testing roadshow to raise awareness of viral hepatitis and working towards eliminating the virus.
As part of the project to eliminate HCV, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) also have an opt-out testing programme in their A&E department for blood borne viruses (BBV). In the first year more than 50,000 patients were tested, identifying 681 patients with HCV antibodies and 35 patients with a new HCV diagnosis.
Stephen Bromby, Asda Boston’s community champion added: “We take our part in the local community very seriously, and we’re always looking for meaningful ways to support the health and wellbeing of our customers. Partnering with this NHS service to host a free Hepatitis C screening unit in our car park is just one of the ways we can help make important services more accessible. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity—tests are quick, confidential, and could make a real difference.”
If you are unable to attend the free testing event, you can order a free and discrete test to your home via the NHS website: https://hepctest.nhs.uk/en-gb/order-a-test
