Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they have issued to ensure that HIV clinics also test patients annually for hepatitis C.

In February 2014 the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASSH) convened an expert working group, including representation from Public Health England, to formally review evidence and produce Recommendations for testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) men who have sex with men (MSM). The recommendations are attached.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also published Hepatitis B and C testing - people at risk of infection, recommending testing to all services users at increased risk of infection. A copy of the guidance is attached.