On 29 September Mid North Coast Liver Clinics’ referral criteria were updated to identify our priority population for screening and testing of people with, or at risk of hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
The MNC Liver Clinics are funded by the NSW Ministry of Health under the Hepatitis Programs and Policy Unit in the Centre for Population Health.
In recent years there has been a huge and increasing growth in the numbers of people with non-viral hepatitis related liver disease, advanced liver disease and liver cancer. The management of these patients is now significantly impacting on the ability of the MNC Liver Clinics to meet the MNCLHD Service Agreement targets under the NSW Hepatitis B and C Strategies. Consequently, the MNC Liver Clinics will only accept the management and care of patients who fall within the following criteria:
Priority Populations for screening and testing:
People with, or at risk of hepatitis B or hepatitis C:
- Aboriginal people
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds
- People living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C
- People who have ever injected drugs, including people who are accessing drug treatment programs
- Pregnant women living with hepatitis B
- People with a history of incarceration
Services provided for Priority Populations:
- Harm minimisation / prevention (access to Needle and Syringe Program and treatment as prevention)
- Screening and testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C
- Vaccination
- Treatment and management for hepatitis B and hepatitis C
- Assessment and management of cirrhosis for people from priority populations with a history of viral hepatitis
- Education for clients and health staff relating to viral hepatitis
People who NO NOT meet our service criteria and therefore are NOT eligible for our services:
- People with cirrhosis with no history of viral hepatitis
- People with non-viral hepatitis liver disease including autoimmune hepatitis, genetic liver disease, drug induced liver injury and metabolic associated fatty liver disease
- People with elevated liver function tests not yet investigated by a gastroenterologist/hepatologist who do not have a history of viral hepatitis
- Fibroscan referrals directly from GPs
Should you require any further clarification, please don’t hesitate to call the MNC Public Health Liver Clinic on 02 6589 2120 (Hastings Macleay)         or  02 6656 7865 (Coffs Clarence).