Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI)

This resource outlines the recommendations in relation to GP registration processes

Date published:
Date last updated:
Next review date:

This resource page reviews the recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI) insofar as these relate to the patient registration process with General Practice.

Background

As colleagues will appreciate, this is a very limited part of the outcome of the Infected Blood Inquiry, which investigated the disastrous events during the 1970s and 1980s, when thousands of UK patients contracted HIV, Hepatitis viruses, or both, as a result of being treated with contaminated blood or blood products. The IBI investigated the use of contaminated blood products, and a statutory compensation scheme has been established for those families and individuals affected. The Inquiry has published seven reports.

Registration recommendation

One of the recommendations of the IBI is that patients newly registering at a GP practice who were born before 1996 should be asked if they have had a transfusion. After September 1991, the introduction of universal blood screening make it extremely unlikely that anyone who had a transfusion would be affected in a similar way.

The online registration process will be updated by the end of May 2025 to include a question about blood transfusions (with a prompt in relation to possible reasons for needing a transfusion, such as an accident, following childbirth, or surgery). This question will only appear to patients born prior to 1996. The paper registration forms (PRF1) will also be amended.

Signposting to Hepatitis C testing

If a patient indicates they have had such a transfusion, this information will not be filed automatically, but will be highlighted to the practice under the section entitled “important information”. NHS England wish to ensure all such patients are offered or signposted for Hepatitis C testing. This can be done opportunistically, or at a new patient health check if the patient accepts this offer. Free home self-tests for Hepatitis C are available to order at hepctest.nhs.uk if patients indicate they have not had Hepatitis C testing. It is virtually certain that patients presenting with Hepatitis B and HIV will have already been tested and had treatment if needed.

NHS England is considering adding a further specific question to the online registration process, asking whether the patient has been tested for Hepatitis C. If this occurs, the paper form (PRF1) will also be updated.

Regulations

This link should be available to patients to use via the practice website.

The LMC has been contacted by a number of practices who wish to use a more detailed version of a registration form. This is not technically compliant with Para 15.5.3. of the Regulations. However, if practices also signpost their own online registration form to patients, they should ensure the same questions as in the NHS England registration process are used, alongside any additional questions the practice wishes to ask. Practices should therefore ensure this question is asked to relevant registering patients, that is, those born prior to If an additional question about Hepatitis C testing is subsequently added, any online registration form should be updated.

PRF1 paper forms should also be available at the practice if requested, although again practices can substitute (unless the patient specifically requests a PFRF1) an alternative paper version of the form with additional questions alongside the NHS PRF1 ones.

This may be remote or face-to-face. This is, if not already undertaken opportunistically because of the patient’s registration information, the opportunity to ask about Hepatitis C testing.

NHS England has made substantial progress towards reducing the prevalence of Hepatitis C and levels of Hepatitis C virus-related mortality, which had fallen to 0.47 per 100,000 population, well below he World Health Organisation (WHO) target of 2 per 100,000. All England residents over the age of 18 can order a Hepatitis C self-testing kit, noting a list of activities that increase the risk of such an infection. Anyone using this service will be contacted directly by the local Hepatitis service if they test positive for Hepatitis C.

Related content