Teams from Bevan Healthcare (BH), Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTHT) and The Hepatitis C Trust (Hep C Trust) are working in collaboration to test groups of vulnerable and homeless individuals who are currently housed in temporary accommodation around the city due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Using the outreach vehicle from Bevan Healthcare, the teams meet up at different hotels and hostels around the city to test vulnerable individuals for hepatitis C. Dominic, Street Health Clinical Practitioner from Bevan Healthcare, usually drives the mobile clinic vehicle to the different locations. On this occasion he went to the Britannia Hotel, where he met up with Viral Hepatitis Clinical Nurse Specialists, Tracey and Lizzy from LTHT and the Peer Support Team from the Hepatitis C Trust. On testing days around 20 to 30 people have met with the team to be tested and some individuals have already been able to start their hepatitis C treatment to cure them of the virus.
The initiative was supported by our charity Leeds Cares and individuals who were tested on the day received a care package donated by the Charity. The teams from LTHT, Bevan Healthcare and The Hepatitis C Trust would like to thank Leeds Cares for their support.
The photo below shows the testing team outside the mobile clinic. Throughout the testing, the team observed social distancing and used PPE. The mobile testing will continue weekly until all the temporary accommodation sites have been visited.
The team from right to Left: Tracey: CNS – LTHT,Liz: Peer Educator – Hep C Trust, Lizzy: CNS – LTHT,Dominic: Street Health Clinical Practitioner – BH, Ambrose: Peer Educator – Hep C Trust, Simon: Peer Educator – Hep C Trust
Also with the test team John Fox: West Yorkshire Peer Lead – The Hepatitis C Trust.
Working in Partnership
