NHS to ask millions of patients new question to find more infected blood victims

Health officials are implementing a new initiative to identify Brits who may have unknowingly received .

Starting immediately, anyone aged 29 or over who registers with a GP practice in England will be asked if they underwent a blood transfusion before 1996, according to England.

If the answer is yes, they will be offered a test for , known as a silent killer, as symptoms can go undetected for decades, leading to significant liver damage.

The hepatitis C virus is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact and affects the liver. Without treatment, it can cause severe liver damage.

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Approximately half of the 800,000 people who register with a GP annually were born after 1996, so around 400,000 will be asked about their blood transfusion history.

The new questions for patients will remind them of possible reasons for having had a blood transfusion, including accidents, complications during childbirth, surgery, or other medical treatments.

If diagnosed, patients can receive antiviral medication for several weeks, which cures over nine out of 10 hepatitis C cases.

The Infected Blood Inquiry's recommendation for the health service to "find the undiagnosed" has led to this initiative. Over 30,000 people in the UK were tragically infected with HIV and hepatitis C from contaminated blood and blood products during the 1970s to the early 1990s, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and ongoing health issues for survivors.

"The failures of the contaminated blood scandal have had a horrifying impact for patients and their families for decades, and I would like to reiterate our deepest apologies for the role the health service played in the suffering and loss for so many," Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England's national medical director, said.

He continued: "The NHS is dedicated to implementing the inquiry's recommendations and this simple change to the GP registration process for patients is a vital step forward in ensuring that nobody affected by contaminated blood is living undiagnosed and unsupported.

"By routinely checking their risk when anyone signs up to a new GP and offering fast Hep C tests where necessary, we will ensure any undiagnosed cases can be found and treated as quickly as possible, while enabling thousands more to receive the reassurance of a negative test."

The current inquiry into the scandal is scrutinising the "timeliness and adequacy of the Government's response to compensation" for the victims, anticipating a report later in the year.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority revealed that as of 6 May, 677 individuals have been invited to initiate their claims, with 106 payments already made, amounting to over £96 million.

Any adult in England aged 18 and above can request a free hepatitis C home test from hepctest.nhs.uk.