TBA (22W129)

Evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on the Nurse-Led Prison Inreach Service for HCV treatment

Author(s)

S. Hunt, L. Alvarado, N. Cullen, A. O’Leary & L. Flaherty & S. McKiernan

Department(s)/Institutions

Hepatology Department. St James’ Hospital, James Street, Dublin 8

Introduction

People who inject drugs are identified as having a higher prevalence of Hepatitis C. Therefore, a large proportion of this cohort are in prisons in Ireland (Crowley et al. 2019). SJH Hepatology have been providing a nurse-led HCV inreach service to the Irish Prison Service for 15 years. Covid-19 proved a very challenging time to provide this service within the prisons due to strict lockdowns and limited access to prisoners.

Aims/Background

-Demonstrate the importance of HCV inreach service -Show improved numbers of prisoners on treatment throughout Covid-19 pandemic

Method

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the prison services had extremely strict lockdowns with very limited access to prisoners. This greatly impacted the HCV inreach service. From March- September 2020 and January to March 2021 there was no access to the prisons for inreach nurses. Outside these timeframes access was sporadic and clinics were often cancelled due to covid-19 outbreaks.

Results

Despite limited access, many prisoners were treated for HCV throughout this timeframe. In 2019 a total of 1210 patients were treated nationally for HCV, 26% treated via SJH Hepatology and of that 28% via the prison Inreach service. Despite restrictions in 2020, 568 patients were treated for HCV, 21% by SJH Hepatology and 37% of this via prison inreach. In 2021, 36% of all SJH Hepatology patients were treated via prison inreach. In 2022 to date, nearly half of all patients treated in SJH Hepatology were treated via Prison inreach service (48%).

Conclusions

The Prison provides a valuable opportunity to treat patients for HCV. Despite Covid-19 restrictions, this service managed to improve the percentage of patients on HCV treatment from pre-pandemic figures.