Implementation of the hepatitis C guidelines in UK health care workers.
BACKGROUND
The UK Health Department circular HSC 2002/010 requires health care employers to test certain groups of health care workers (HCWs) for hepatitis C, without additional funding. Little is known about the consistency of implementation of such guidelines.


OBJECTIVE
This study audited the process, completeness and problems of implementation of circular HSC 2002/010 in acute and ambulance trusts in London and the Southeast of England.


METHODS
Telephone questionnaire survey of 51 National Health Service trusts between July and October 2005.


RESULTS
The response rate was 92% (47/51). Eighty-five per cent (40/47) of the trusts reported partial or full implementation of the guidance. All compliant trusts reported testing HCWs entering exposure prone procedure specialities, although 40% (16/40) were testing more staff than specified in the guidance.


CONCLUSIONS
Most trusts (85%) in this audit reported having implemented the guidance 3 years after publication and 90% claimed not to have needed additional funding. Implementation may be improved by greater clarity about which staff should be tested, frequency of testing and by raising HCWs awareness about hepatitis C infection and treatment. Newly published health clearance guidance addresses some of these points.
Gibson
Kirstie
K
Capita Health Solutions--Occupational Health, 4th Floor, Dean Bradley House, 52 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF, UK. Kirstie.gibson@btinternet.com
Kennedy
Ioana
I
D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom