HEPATITIS C

That this House notes that hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus which is estimated to affect between 200,000 and 500,000 people in England and Wales; further notes that only a tiny fraction of these people have been diagnosed and are receiving treatment; recognises that without treatment hepatitis C can lead to serious health complications, including cirrhosis of the liver, which can require a transplant; is deeply concerned by the findings of a recent audit conducted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hepatology which found that only eight per cent. of primary care trusts are effectively implementing the Department of Health's Hepatitis C Action Plan; and, while congratulating the Scottish Hepatitis C Action Plan for its firm timetable, extra funding and provisions for measuring outcomes and noting that the forthcoming Welsh Viral Hepatitis Action Plan is likely to be similar, calls on the Government to take urgent action to address implementation failures in England by publishing a clear timetable for England and measures against which primary care trusts can be held accountable for their performance in improving hepatitis C services.