The doctor who led a programme to eliminate hepatitis C across Tayside – regarded as one of the most successful projects of its kind anywhere – is being recognised with a global award from his peers.

Professor John Dillon, a consultant hepatologist and gastroenterologist, has been named as the 2021 Elimination Champion by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination.

In 2020, NHS Tayside became the first region in the world to effectively eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) through a programme that shared the task across community nursing, pharmacy and laboratory teams who worked alongside Dundee University and third sector partners in the city.

HCV is a blood borne virus which affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.

Nine in ten infections are in people who inject drugs, or have previously done so, and it can be spread through sharing needles.

In recent years treatments have been developed that can eliminate the virus from people who have been infected. The treatment involves taking a medicine every day for up to three months.

The NHS Tayside project that Professor Dillon has led in collaboration with the University of Dundee targets people who inject drugs without waiting until they go into recovery programmes or stop using drugs.

This prevents them passing the virus on to others and helps stop the spread of HCV among the wider population.

NHS Tayside has treated almost 2,000 people living with HCV, more than 90% of the estimated number of people living with virus in the region. In doing so they met both the World Health Organisation and Scottish government elimination targets ahead of schedule.

It is the latest accolade for the Tayside programme. In 2019 the multidisciplinary intelligent liver function testing group, which plays a central role in identifying hepatitis C in the community, received the innovation prize at the Scottish health awards.

Professor Dillon says he is honoured to receive the award:

“It is recognition for a team effort by many people to improve care for people who are often lost in our systems. The approach of keeping it simple for people in need of healthcare is one we can all use and learn from.”

NHS Tayside Chief Executive Grant Archibald added:

“This project is a fantastic example of what can be achieved in partnership with our university and third sector colleagues.

“Professor Dillon has led the way in developing new approaches to improve care and treatment for patients in Tayside and beyond and he thoroughly deserves this international recognition.

“We are all very proud of this pioneering programme which has made such a difference to the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens.”

Read more: Manifesto health check: Scottish Labour; World first for Tayside in eliminating hepatitis C; Trial brings liver disease treatment one step closer; Plan to eliminate hepatitis C in Scotland by 2024.

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