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Written question asked by Mary Glindon (Labour) on Thursday, 16 July 2020, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 July 2020 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Tuesday, 21 July 2020. A substantive answer was provided by Jo Churchill (Conservative) on Wednesday, 5 August 2020 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Hepatitis: Disease Control

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Public Health England’s 2019 report Shooting Up: Infections among people who inject drugs in the UK, what steps he is taking to implement its recommendation on reducing the number of new hepatitis C infections through improved harm reduction approaches.

Answer

The Public Health England (PHE) 2019 report ‘Shooting up’ suggests that harm reduction interventions for people who inject drugs, including access to sterile injecting equipment and effective drug dependence treatment, can prevent and control hepatitis C virus among this group

Local authorities are responsible for assessing local drug needs and commissioning prevention, treatment and harm reduction services and interventions, which include needle exchange provision.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with PHE to review the harm reduction activity that is currently available.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
75302
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Drugs Disease control Hepatitis Syringes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk