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Background

Almost a quarter of a million Australians are affected by chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection, with the overwhelming majority infected via injecting drug use. As there is a close relationship between imprisonment, injecting drug use, and HCV, in any given year, at least 15,000 of those infected spend time in prison.  This group are likely to constitute one of the most marginalised patient groups affected by HCV who are unlikely to access health services in any other setting.  In addition, this group features high rates of ongoing HCV transmission both in prison and in the community.  In combination, these attributes argue for high priority to be placed on antiviral treatment of prisoners.

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Australia is one of 194 countries which were signatory to the World Health Organization Global Health Sector Strategy 2016–2021 which aims to eliminate HCV as a public health threat by 2030. The strategy includes key targets: for HCV of a 80% decline in incident infections, a 65% reduction in HCV-related mortality, and HCV antiviral treatment provision for 80% of those infected.

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The pharmaceutical development and Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listing of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) now offers well-tolerated, short course, highly curative treatments for HCV, including S100 prescribing for prisoners.  Australia is in a unique position globally with universal, heavily subsidised access both to testing (for HCV antibodies and the virus), as well as to DAA treatments.  These elements underpin Australia’s strategy towards the World Health Organisation 2030 HCV elimination goals.  The major residual challenge for Australia is development and implementation of the health service infrastructure and models of care to ensure comprehensive access and uptake of DAA treatments to all those affected.

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Delivery of health services in the prison context is challenging, as prisons feature complex bureaucratic structures, overcrowding, frequent movements, high rates of mental illness, and uncontrolled exposure to violence and illicit drugs.  Despite these challenges, in collaboration with the Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network (JH&FMHN) in NSW, Professor Andrew Lloyd (NPHN Executive Chair) has established a safe, effective, and efficient hepatitis service in the NSW prisons with task transfer to hepatitis-skilled nurses, telemedicine links to specialist support, portable fibro-elastography to assess liver scarring, as well as structured protocols and proformas.  A similar nurse-led model of care has also recently been successfully implemented in the prisons system in Victoria by Professor Alex Thompson (NPHN Executive Member). By contrast, available data suggests that more limited services exist in correctional facilities in other states and territories.


Against this backdrop, the National Prisons Hepatitis Network (NPHN) was established with a first goal to connect key stakeholders from each Australian jurisdiction to facilitate information exchange and support, to enhance development of health infrastructure for testing and treatment of HCV in the custodial sector nationally.

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As laboratory notifications for HCV do not specifically identify prisons as a testing source, only regular surveys such as the previous triennial National Prison Entrants’ Blood Borne Virus and Risk Behaviour Survey (NPEBBVS) offer insights into HCV prevalence.  In addition, the PBS does not specifically identify antiviral treatments originating in prison, although estimates via S100 prescriptions offer some insights. Hence, the second goal is to support the NPHN in developing data capture systems to measure testing and treatment rates in the prison sector.

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The third goal of the NPHN will be to facilitate health services research to drive policy making for scale-up of HCV treatment in the prisons. See ‘Research Initiatives’ for NPHN-initiated research projects. 

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NPHN Key Priorities

The NPHN has identified key priorities to which align efforts:

  • Enhance hepatitis C testing and treatment infrastructure in each state and territory to increase prisoners’ access to care

  • Facilitate continuing exchange of information regarding hepatitis C testing and treatment of prisoners across Australia

  • Establish a prisons education initiative with a goal to develop prison-focused HCV education programs for three target audiences: prisoners, correctional officers, and healthcare providers working in the custodial setting.

  • Establish a model for surveillance of HCV, HBV, and HIV risk and infection rates, incarceration, and treatment uptake in prisons sector across each State/Territory

  • Advocate for continued scale-up of hepatitis C services and treatment in the prisons sector nationally

Executive Committee

The NPHN Executive Committee is comprised of elected key members from each state and territory with representation from a variety of disciplines, including specialist physicians, health administrators, and consumer representation. The Executive Committee meet quarterly via teleconference to discuss the progress of NPHN initiatives, assess alignment with NPHN priorities, and plan the annual workshop.

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Current Committee Members (as at November 2023)

Professor Andrew Lloyd, The Kirby Institute UNSW (Chair)
Professor Alex Thompson, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (Co-Vice Chair)
Professor Mark Stoove, Burnet Institute (Co-Vice Chair)

Yumi Sheehan, The Kirby Institute UNSW (Coordinator)

Dr Rebecca Winter, Burnet Institute (Co-Coordinator)
Anton Colman, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Carrie Fowlie, Hepatitis Australia

Dr Behzad Hajarizadeh, The Kirby Institute UNSW
Graham Kraak, Office for Prisoner Health and Wellbeing, QLD Health
Dr Catherine Marshall, Royal Darwin Hospital
Colette McGrath, Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network
Dr Joy Rowland, WA Department of Justice
Deb Siddall, Tasmanian Health Services

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Membership

NPHN membership consists of key stakeholders involved with hepatitis service delivery in Australian prisons. Members are encouraged to connect with other NPHN members via the Network to enhance information and knowledge exchange and encourage collaborations.  Membership is through invitation and expression of interest. Members receive regular email updates and an invitation to the Annual Workshop.  

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