Key recommendations

A UK wide strategy on prevention, care and treatment A comprehensive testing programme to identify all at-risk people Investment in diagnosis and referral services Monitoring of disease rates Better access to social and healthcare services for all patients Assessment of new treatments Public education campaign

The British Liver Trust (BLT) estimates that the disease could kill more than 60,000 people in the next decade.

It is estimated that there are already up to 400,000 people in the UK who are infected with the hepatitis C virus. It is about 10 times more infectious than HIV.

The charity is calling for urgent action to identify people who are unaware that they have been infected with the virus.

Often symptoms of infection take many years to show.

An opinion poll, commissioned by the trust, showed widespread public ignorance about hepatitis C.

The virus can be spread through blood transfusion, sharing injecting equipment and infected piercing instruments.

However, 53% of those questioned chose unprotected sex as one of the main ways to pass on the disease, even though this is a less important route of transmission.

Targeted programme

The report outlines key failings in the delivery of liver services across the UK and the implications for public health and the cost to the NHS.

This is a disease where cost effective treatment is already available but one where government inaction risks depriving thousands of people of lifesaving treatment

Nigel Hughes

The BLT wants the government to develop a targeted testing programme for at-risk groups to identify the 400,000 people in the UK who are estimated to be infected to enable them to be treated early enough to maximise the chances of successful treatment.

Effective treatment is already available in the UK although the NHS treats only approximately 10% of the patients as France and Germany.

Nigel Hughes, BLT chief executive, said: "We stand on the verge of an epidemic of hepatitis C across the world, yet the UK is woefully unprepared.

"We lag far behind Europe and the United States in educating the public about the risks and in identifying and treating patients.

"This is a disease where cost effective treatment is already available but one where government inaction risks depriving thousands of people of lifesaving treatment."

Mr Hughes said extra money set aside for health in the budget should be used to remedy the situation.

A Department of Health spokesperson said the importance of hepatitis C as a public issue had been highlighted in the Chief Medical Officer's strategy for tackling infectious diseases.

"We have worked with a group of experts including Nigel Hughes from the British Liver Trust on the preparation of a strategy to tackle Hepatitis C.

"Indeed many of the issues raised by the British Liver Trust will be addressed in the government's own proposals to be published this summer."