Hepatitis C Trust featured on BBC Radio Sheffield

As treatments for hepatitis C become universally accessible and people previously aware of their status have now largely been treated, the greatest barrier to eliminating hepatitis C is finding the undiagnosed, especially in vulnerable or harder-to-reach populations.
To increase outreach and provide more opportunities for testing and treatment in the community, we’ve been expanding our peer work, and now have peer support leads with growing volunteer teams in Birmingham, South Yorkshire, Merseyside & Cheshire, West Yorkshire, the North East, and across London.
Peer interventions include talks about hepatitis C or ‘buddying’ to appointments, delivered by a former patient from a similar life background alongside their personal story, an approach which is particularly effective in prisons and substance misuse services. In addition to contributing to improved awareness and increased testing uptake, peer programmes also serve to decrease stigma and build community support networks.
In recognition of our work in the local area, BBC Radio Sheffield last week featured coverage of hepatitis C, including a discussion on the risk factors, how to get tested and treated, interviews with former patients, and coverage of our peer support work in the region. You can listen for relevant excerpts featured throughout the BBC broadcast here, or hear recorded extracts relating to hepatitis C here.