In a major step to identify undiagnosed cases of hepatitis C linked to the contaminated blood scandal, the NHS will begin asking newly registered GP patients if they received a blood transfusion before 1996.
The move follows a key recommendation from the 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry, led by Sir Brian Langstaff.
Starting from 16 June 2025, the question will be added to the online GP registration service, targeting patients born on or before 31 December 1995. Those who indicate they had a transfusion will be offered a free hepatitis C test, either via a discreet home testing kit or through GP surgeries and sexual health clinics.
Hepatitis C is a silent but serious liver infection that can go undetected for years. Left untreated, it can lead to life-threatening liver damage, but with early diagnosis, more than 90% of cases can be cured using direct-acting antiviral medication.
The contaminated blood scandal exposed thousands of people to hepatitis C and other infections through transfusions before rigorous screening was introduced in the mid-1990s. While the NHS blood supply is now among the safest in the world, many people remain unaware they were ever at risk.
NHS National Medical Director, Sir Stephen Powis, commented:
“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.
“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 hepatitis 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.”
Each year, around 400,000 people born before 1996 register with a GP, and this new screening question could help identify those unknowingly living with hepatitis C. The NHS has issued guidance to GPs on how to capture responses and support patients who may be at risk.
Patients will be reminded of common reasons they may have had a transfusion, such as surgery, childbirth complications, or accidents.
This initiative is part of a broader public health effort to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat, by identifying and treating those affected as early as possible.
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