The development and implementation of a nurse-led hepatitis C protocol for people with serious mental health problems

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a significant health issue for people with serious mental health problems (SMHP). Factors associated with this include high rates of substance use, injecting drug use, and lack of knowledge regarding the transmission and prevention of HCV. This population are at higher risk of experiencing conditions where transmission rates are high, e.g. night shelters and homelessness. People with SMHP also often have factors associated with acceleration of the disease, including excessive alcohol use and poor physical health. Nurses across services collaborated to develop and implement a protocol to address the needs of clients of an Assertive Outreach Team with or at risk of HCV. It has been successful in developing an effective approach to addressing the needs of people with or at risk of HCV and serious mental health problems. It guides staff in providing a flexible, accessible service for clients delivered across organizational boundaries. It has demonstrated improved health outcomes for clients. It is believed that this project can be used as a template to address other health needs of this client group for example diet, obesity and smoking.