National survey of hepatitis testing and vaccination services provided by drug services in England and Wales

Since viral hepatitis among intravenous drug users continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality, the present study was conducted to survey drug agencies in England and Wales in order to identify the prevalence of hepatitis B and C testing and vaccination bring provided. A postal survey o f all 539 drug agencies in England and Wales was thus conducted to assess t heir current treatment provisions and practices. An analysis of the respons es provided by the 373 agencies that returned usable data (69.2% response r ate) revealed that only one-quarter (26.6%) of the drug agencies conducted routine hepatitis B testing, and 26.9% did not offer it at all, Just over h alf (55.7%) of the agencies provided hepatitis B vaccination, but only 21.7 % did so routinely. Seventy percent provided hepatitis C testing, but only 24% did so routinely. Nevertheless, the majority of respondents, of whom 40 .3% were nurses and 25.1% drug workers, believed that clients and their par tners should be offered hepatitis B and C screening. The paucity of hepatit is testing and vaccination services being offered to injecting drug users i s unacceptable, with users, their partners and children being needlessly ex posed to continued risk. The disparity between recommended policy and curre nt practice needs to be urgently addressed.