Excellence in Healthcare Collaboration and Partnerships

Summary of work

Hepatitis C - a blood-borne virus which can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer - is now curable. Yet less than half of the 214,000 people thought to have hepatitis C in the UK have been diagnosed, and only 3% receive treatment each year. People who inject drugs are at high risk of contracting hepatitis C; around half of intravenous drug users are estimated to be infected.

Addaction, The Hepatitis C Trust and AbbVie formed a partnership to bust the myths, misconceptions and stigma surrounding hepatitis C and encourage people at risk through injecting drugs to be tested and consider treatment. A pioneering workforce development programme upskilled front-line drug service workers, while an inspiring peer-to-peer approach empowered drug service users (who can find it hard to engage with traditional health services).

Targeted communications to showcase the initiative helped to secure endorsement from local healthcare professionals and commissioners - crucial to ensuring the wider health and care system supported the initiative - and drew plaudits from local politicians. The South West is a national exemplar for how, through joint working, local areas can work towards a shared goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health problem.

Judges' comments

What a fantastic campaign! The honest, authentic and solid analysis showed how the partnership made a real difference through patient-focused outcomes. The gathering of feedback from all partners was impressive, as was the campaign’s practical engagement with local stakeholders. Overall, a really strong entry.