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The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework contains an explicit target reflecting the government’s desire to see treatment numbers increase, and performance against these targets is monitored through national indicator data and during annual Scottish Government visits to NHS boards.

The current financial year is the final year of the framework, and the refreshed framework, to be published next year, will reflect the conclusions of the treatment and therapies subgroup on priorities for hepatitis C therapy in light of the rapidly evolving treatment landscape. Policy on hepatitis C targets may therefore be different in the future.

The Sexual Health and Bloodborne Virus Framework highlights the importance of developing strategies to treat those chronically infected with hepatitis C. This fully encompasses all infected individuals, including those who have not completed treatment and those who have not achieved a sustained viral response.

Data is collected locally and nationally on individuals commencing but not completing treatment, and those who do not achieve a sustained viral response. Those who have previously commenced treatment will be known to services and in the vast majority of cases will be seen regularly for review by the clinical team.

The table below sets out national data on the number of patients commencing treatment each year. A significant proportion are individuals recommencing treatment. This increased significantly in 2012-13 following the introduction of protease inhibitors.

No decision has been made on targets within the refreshed framework. Targets for hepatitis C treatment will be informed by progress in delivering the current priorities, as reflected in data on indicators; by end of framework reports from NHS boards, which will be received towards the end of 2014-15; by the Treatment and Therapies Sub-group, which will report to ministers before Christmas 2014.

The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework does not contain any board-specific targets for treatment initiations. Progress against the national target for number of persons commencing therapy is detailed in the following table.

The targets set out in the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework were informed by a long-term goal to significantly change the shape of the epidemic in Scotland, and were based on the hepatitis C therapies in use at the time the framework was written. Since the framework was published there have been changes to standard therapies for hepatitis C in Scotland, including the introduction of protease inhibitors in 2012-13, which have improved treatment outcomes for many patients, and which mean more people commencing treatment are clearing the virus.

Decisions about initiating treatment must be made by clinicians and patients together. Some patients may choose to delay commencing treatment for a range of reasons, in discussion with clinicians.

*Data for 2013-14 is provisional

Lord Penrose, Chairman of the Scottish Public Inquiry into Hepatitis C/HIV acquired infection from NHS treatment in Scotland with blood and blood products (The Penrose Inquiry) wrote to me on the 26 February 2014 updating me on the inquiry’s progress.

The Penrose Inquiry is independent of Scottish Ministers and it is for the Chairman to decide on the progress and timetabling of the Inquiry.

The inquiry is currently in the process of issuing warning letters arising from the final report and the Chairman has agreed to provide me with another progress report at the end of May 2014.

The most recent information relating to the report can be found on the inquiry’s website at: http://www.penroseinquiry.org.uk/

Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority for Scottish Ministers and for Scotland’s justice system. In addition to increased investment in initiatives to tackle domestic abuse, we took swift action in 2010 to close a loophole in the criminal law to ensure cases of domestic abuse could continue to be dealt with under a new threatening or abusive behaviour criminal offence.

We are giving the proposals for a specific domestic abuse offence, and a separate domestic abuse aggravator, careful consideration. This will include engaging with justice agencies and key stakeholders, including Scottish Women’s Aid and ASSIST, to hear their views and these discussions will inform consideration of next steps. This forms part of our wider work to address the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls and other forms of threat and violence.

The Scottish Government is working with NHS boards, local authorities, third sector partners and other key stakeholders to produce an updated Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework to be published in 2015 once the existing framework period comes to an end.

The refreshed framework will continue to incorporate sexual health, HIV and viral hepatitis and will maintain the focus on the five high level outcomes contained within the current framework.

The Scottish Government is supportive of the development of new treatments for a wide range of health conditions. The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) funds high quality research, including clinical trials, of relevance to the health and well-being of the people of Scotland.

The Scottish Government is currently funding the ViaDUCT study researching whether vitamin D supplementation can improve hepatitis C cure rates. The CSO welcomes any new research proposals linked to the development of novel treatments for hepatitis C. These would be evaluated according to standard peer-review processes.

The National Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Advisory Committee, which is chaired by myself, has established a subgroup to look at hepatitis C treatment and therapies in light of the rapidly developing treatment landscape. The subgroup, which is chaired by Professor David Goldberg from Health Protection Scotland, will report back to the National Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Advisory Committee at the end of 2014. The group will set out principles and priorities for the use of Government funding under the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework in relation to hepatitis C therapies.

As a result of the Hepatitis C Action Plan and, subsequently, the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework the numbers of people being initiated onto treatment for hepatitis C in Scotland has increased significantly in recent years. A total of 1,052 individuals were newly initiated onto treatment in 2012-13. This compares with only 468 treatment initiations in 2007-08.

The diagnoses and treatment of hepatitis C infections continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government, as reflected in the high level priorities within the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework.