Liver health screening van hits the road, offering free hep C tests | News

Royal Surrey’s Liver Health Checks team is touring around Surrey and surrounding counties this month (June), offering free hepatitis C testing.

Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect and damage the liver. People can become infected with the virus if they come into contact with the blood of an infected person. In most cases, hepatitis C causes no noticeable symptoms until the liver has been significantly damaged. The sooner treatment begins after exposure to the virus, the more likely it is to succeed.

Hep C testing dates and locations

• Monday 10 June – Kay Pharmacy, Maidenhead, SL6 2SZ. (8.30am-4.30pm)
• Tuesday 18 June – Railway pub car park, Crawley, RH10 6AA. (8.30am-5pm)
• Wednesday 19 June – Railway Pub Car park, Crawley, RH10 6AA. (8.30am-5pm)
• Tuesday 25 June – Dogflud Way, Farnham, GU9 7UT. (1pm-4:30pm).

Who should get tested for hep C?

Testing is recommended for people who are at increased risk of the infection, this includes:

• former and current drug users of injected drugs
• people who received blood transfusions before September 1996
• people who have lived or had medical treatment in an area where hepatitis C is common – high-risk areas include Africa, the Middle East and central Asia
• babies and children whose mothers have hepatitis C
• anyone accidentally exposed to the virus, such as health workers
• people who have received a tattoo or piercing where equipment may not have been properly sterilised
• sexual partners, family members and close contacts of people with hepatitis C

  You can find out more information about hep C testing on the NHS website.

If you are worried that you may have been exposed to hep C, drop by. The test takes just a few minutes, and results will be available a few minutes later. The test are subject to an eligibility test.

Highly effective treatment for Hepatitis C is available at each of the main hospitals in Surrey. If diagnosed, people can access treatment quickly.

Anyone who has had a blood transfusion is welcome to be tested for all blood borne viruses.