Following a successful pilot program, ASHM has launched its partnership program, Beyond the C, as part of a national initiative to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030.
A new national program aiming to help eliminate hepatitis C in Australia is calling on GPs and other health professionals working in primary care to sign up and contribute to the National Hep C 50,000 Project to find Australians who may be unaware they have the virus and have not accessed treatment, support or care.
With Australia lagging in its goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030, Beyond the C is helping Australia increase testing and treatment by providing primary care with vital hepatitis C case-finding tools and support.
Australians working in general practice are encouraged to join Beyond the C, with incentives of up to $1500 available.
QuIHN’s Mindarie Super Clinic Clinical Manager, Heather Drummond, said Beyond the C helped their clinic to diagnose 47 additional patients.
Ms Drummond said the program also helped better educate their clinicians on hepatitis C management. “Identifying and treating patients for a disease is a rewarding population health activity. It has also been rewarding to upskill our clinical team around the management of hepatitis C and to see how this has been embedded in our practice,” said Drummond.
“I’m passionate about health promotion. And now, with a new medicine that can not only treat, but cure hepatitis C in the majority of cases, we just need more people to get tested, especially those at risk of having hepatitis C. Beyond the C helps make this testing and screening process so much easier.”
Left untreated, hepatitis C infection can lead to the development of liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. Hepatitis C infection is the most common cause of liver disease requiring liver transplantation in Australia. This is despite significant advances in treatment options that have over a 95 per cent cure rate.
ASHM is asking people working in general practice across Australia to join the Beyond the C program to help identify and support patients, improve their wellbeing and help us eliminate hepatitis C.
