Following the announcement of the new initiative, NHS figures show that thousands have already requested hepatitis C tests.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England's national medical director, expressed deep apologies for the health service's role in the contaminated blood scandal and emphasized the need for this new GP registration process to help undiagnosed patients.

As part of this initiative, patients will be asked if they had a blood transfusion prior to 1996, as those who did will be offered testing for hepatitis C, a virus that can cause severe liver damage.

NHS England has launched a new initiative aimed at identifying individuals who may have received infected blood, specifically targeting those aged 29 and over registering with GP practices in England.

An ongoing inquiry is reviewing the government's compensation response for victims of the scandal, with updates expected later in 2025.

Approximately 840,000 patients register online with GPs annually, with around 400,000 being eligible for this hepatitis C screening based on their birth date.

He highlighted the importance of ensuring affected individuals are diagnosed and supported, acknowledging the long-lasting impact of the scandal on patients and families.

The contaminated blood scandal is considered one of the NHS's largest treatment disasters, resulting in over 30,000 infections with HIV and hepatitis C and more than 3,000 deaths.

Reports indicate many undiagnosed cases exist, with patients suffering severe liver damage due to delayed diagnosis.

Antiviral treatments are available, curing over 90% of hepatitis C cases, which underscores the importance of identifying and treating those infected.

Individuals in England over 18 can access a free at-home hepatitis C test through the NHS website, with testing also available at GP practices and sexual health clinics.

Victims of the scandal included many haemophiliacs who received infected blood products, as well as individuals from accidents and childbirth.