Timeline:
Month 3- partner sites established and contracts signed. Establishment of a legal partner at the UCD Research administration to ensure compliance with all legal requirements of the contract and subcontracts
Month 3- Establish advisory board who will determine terms of reference for the oversight and targets and deliverables for the project
Month 3- Establish management group-Establishment of a once monthly meeting with Research administration team at UCD and the HepCare Europe management group to ensure compliance with financial management of the project.
Month 3- Development and completion of the work package plans at all four clinical and one non clinical site
Management group meets monthly to review progress of project
Month 6- Project submitted to local Research Ethics Committees at all sites.
Month 6 – Steering committee established and steering committee meeting organised.
Month 6 – Advisory Board meeting organised. Month 9 - Website established.
Month 12- Publication timeline is set and manuscript/poster submissions are reviewed.
Month 12- First Interim report
Month 18 - Project completion assessed. Contingency plan established regarding any issues arising.
Month 24- Second Interim Report.
Month 27- Training needs assessed and additional training provided. Government/authorities and community groups in countries involved are informed of the study and its potential consequences in terms of policies and services looked at.
Month 33- Project completion assessed and contingency plans established.
Month 36- Final report produced. Final data analysed and published.

Month 6,12- Coordination with the WP leaders to ensure all necessary training is provided consistently at each site, and all study materials are consistent from site to site

Month 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32- To establish quarterly reviews with the non clinical site U of Bristol to ensure they are provided with summary data from each WP to provide appropriate clinical analysis and modelled analysis of the HepCare Europe study



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2.1. Host meetings annually to facilitate presentation / discussion of findings (Month 36)
2.2. Host teleconference each quarter to facilitate presentation / discussion of findings (Month 36)
2.3. Identify key agency / person responsible for national HCV policy in each site (e.g. in Ireland - HSE, Irish Hepatitis C Outcomes Research Network, etc) (Month 3)
2.4. Identify key person responsible for HCV policy at EU level (e.g. EASL, Public Policy Association, EATG, etc) (Month 3)
2.5. Brief key person responsible for national HCV policy in each site on the Hepcare Programme aims, objectives (Month 3)
2.6. Invite key persons to attend plenary meeting of consortium (Month 3)
2.7. Identify key questions which the key person would like the consortium to answer in this or future projects (Month 6)
2.8. Identify healthcare professionals and service users with an interest in HCV policy at each site (Month 6)
2.9. Invite 4-8 healthcare professionals and service users to join Stakeholder Advisory Group at each site (Month 6)
2.10. Host at least annual meetings of Stakeholder Advisory Group and Work Package leaders / Consortium members at each site (Month 3)
2.11. Submit at least 10 scientific manuscripts to peer reviewed journals (Month 36)
2.12. Present at least 20 papers at national and international conferences (Month 36)
2.13. Develop proposals for future collaborative research by consortium members (Month 36)
2.14. Create website (Month 3)
2.15. Establish social media footprint (twitter, facebook, linkedin) (Month 3)
2.16. Develop printed leaflets for distribution at each site (Month 6)
2.17. Host a series of at least 3 public meetings to raise awareness at each site (Month 3, 6, 12)
2.18 Partnering with other agencies and projects managing such populations, to maximise educational messages not just about HCV but also other viral infections (HBV, HIV) and other co-morbidities (ie TB) (Correlation and HEP C network (peer support, HCV training); EU HEP SCREEN network (screening for viral hepatitis among migrants, health care workers training tool); Scale up Harm reduction by WHO EURO (evaluation of barriers for HCV testing and care); Bordernetwork network (guidance for the treatment of HIV and viral infections); EURO HIV EDAT - community base testing strategies; OPTEST HIE – early testing in clinical settings, using indicator conditions, and identification of barriers for testing provision; HA REACT JA - early testing and provision of integrated HIV, HCV, TB treatment and harm reduction for PWID.

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3.1.1. Establish steering group (month 3)
3.1.2. Steering group reviews report by each work package leader at six monthly intervals
3.1.3. Steering group provide feedback to each work package leader at six monthly intervals
3.2.1. Agree terms of reference of external evaluation (month 9)
3.2.2. Tender for external evaluation of Hepcare Europe programme by an approved external agency (month 12)
3.2.3. Collaborate with external agency in their conduct of external evaluation (month 24)
3.2.4. Share findings of external evaluation with: consortium members and funding agency (month 30)
3.2.5. Address findings of external evaluation in final 6 months of project (month 36)

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4.1 Each site to be trained in the performance of POCT and running of controls Completed by month 6
4.2 Each site to identify which vulnerable population to target (homeless, incarcerated etc) Identified by month 3
4.3 Interview performed on all tested HCV positive 6 to 18 month (includes assessment of co-morbidities:TB, Alcohol and drug use)
4.4 Monitoring success in linkage to care 6 to 24 months

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240 patients will participate in the study of Integrated care from 24 GP practices.
5.1.1. Complete the ‘Heplink’ pilot project (Month 6)
5.1.2. Evaluate the ‘Heplink’ pilot project (Month 6)
5.1.3. Develop the ‘Heplink’ pilot project in consultation with WP 5 collaborating partners (Month 9)
5.2.1. Define the integrated model of HCV care (Month 9)
5.2.2. Obtain ethics approval (Month 9)
5.2.3. Train the team involved in delivering its key elements (i.e. health professionals education, nurse liaison, enhanced access to specialist assessment, e.g. Transient Elastography) (Month 12)
5.2.4. Recruit 24 practices / clinical sites (Month 12)
5.2.5. Consent 240 patients to participate from the 24 practices (i.e. permission for baseline data collection, follow up data collection, +/- complete interview, +/- longitudinal follow up). (Month 14)
5.2.6. Deliver education to health professionals (Month 14)
5.2.7. Deliver nurse specialist liaison (Month 14)
5.2.8. Deliver enhanced specialist assessment to 24 practices (Month 14)
5.3.1. Collect baseline data (Month 14)
5.3.2. Analyse / disseminate baseline data (Month 18)
5.3.3. Collect follow up data (Month 24)

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6.1 Establish a working group of all key partners at four clinical sites to develop health care focused educational materials (manuals, computer friendly, e-learning) targeting health professionals and patients.

6.2 Identify community based representation of key NGO and patient centred organisations working with key target patient populations

6.3 Develop an questionnaire to be administered pre and post participation in Health Care Focused ‘HCV Masterclass’ to assess impact on Health Care Professionals.

6.4 Establish direct communication lines and shared tasks with the EU funded TB consortium (Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, UCL London E-DETECT TB project, 3rd Health Programme proposal no 709624)) to maximise educational messages and to share resources

6.5 Completion of 2 ‘HCV Masterclass’ sessions at each of 4 clinical sites by month 18 of project. Masterclasses are aimed at Health Care Professionals.

6.6 Completed analysis of health care provider questionnaire (24 months)

6.7 Publication of results of educational intervention (36 months)

6.8 Collaborate with HA REACT JA - early testing and provision of integrated HIV, HCV, TB treatment and harm reduction for PWID
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7.1.1. Recruit and provide Hep C training to peers with an experience of Hep C/homelessness/drug and alcohol misuse (Month 6)
7.1.2. Select peers to provide Hep C testing, working alongside the clinical team (Month 6)
7.1.3. Identify and recruit, through peers, previous patients who have tested positive (Month 6)
7.1.4. Train the clinical team to provide testing and pre-treatment assessments (including liver staging using Fibroscan) (Month 6)
7.1.5. Ethical approval for interventions (Month 6)
7.1.6 Testing schedule and referral pathway mapping (Month 6)
7.1.7. Train peers to carry out pre-treatment assessments, including Fibroscan, alongside the clinical team (Month 12)

7.2.1 Develop a peer role in a community based integrated model of HCV care informed by phase 1 of Heplink (Work Package 5) (Month 12)
7.2.2. Validate integrated model of care with local Hep C partners and services (Month 12)
7.2.3. Provide community based Hep C treatment using peer support to recruited patients (Month 18)

7.3.1. Train peers in identification of risk factors for other infectious diseases (i.e. active Tuberculosis) (Month 12)
7.3.2. Linkage of care using peers with other homeless health services (e.g. Mobile Health Unit of Find & Treat TB service, London & E-DETECT, Bucharest) (Month 18

7.4.1. Identification of those with risk factors for Hep C for who test negative (Month 18)
7.4.2. Train peers to promote engagement with harm minimisation services including opiate substitution therapies and needle exchange services (Month 24)
7.4.3. Integrate intervention into Hep C Trust peer training programme (Month 30)

7.5.1. Develop Hep C database to standardise data collection across sites (Month 6)
7.5.2. Liaise with local stakeholders to agree on shared care pathway (Month 12)
7.5.3. Interim baseline data analysis (Month 18)
7.5.4. analysis of treatment outcomes and follow up data (Month 24)
7.5.5. Qualitative study on acceptability of community care pathway / experiences of patients unable to access treatment (Month 30)

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8.1. Develop Economic model developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of each intervention (month 12)
8.2. Review literature to parameterise non-context specific aspects of the model
8.3. Collate data for undertaking cost-effectiveness analysis for Ireland (month 18)
8.4. Write paper on the cost-effectiveness of interventions for Ireland (month 24)
8.5. Collate data for adapting cost-effectiveness analyses for 3 other EU settings (month 24)
8.6. Paper on how the cost-effectiveness of interventions may vary in other EU settings (month 34)
8.7. Presentation of findings to country experts and policymakers (Month 22 and 32)

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