Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it established a short-life working group to develop "Once for Scotland" recommendations on hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment for people who inject drugs, and, if it did, what the outcomes from that group were.
A short life working group to look at Hepatitis C treatment in people who inject drugs was established in early 2021.
Membership comprised the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and clinical representation from NHS Tayside, which was one of the first areas in the world to effectively eliminate Hepatitis C 11 years ahead of the 2030 World Health Organisation target of 2030.
The group recommended exploring the development of a national service, delivered through the community pharmacy network, to provide Hepatitis C testing and treatment to people who inject drugs, and thereby support elimination of Hepatitis C as a major public health threat in Scotland by 2024. Discussions will be taken forward with the representative body, Community Pharmacy Scotland, to explore how the community pharmacy network can support this work.