BBVs and substance use are not specific to a particular group of service users. They are cross cutting issues affecting people regardless of age ethnicity disability and sexuality. For example as the HCV epidemic continues to grow and in future affect those who no longer use drugs and who may have been drug free for some years there is an urgent need for knowledge of HCV to expand beyond drug teams and agencies and into mainstream society and social care. Social care workers (particularly those working with physically disabled adults or older adults) will find themselves with vastly increased caseloads as HCV diagnoses increase. This will necessitate them being able to adequately support families in a non-judgemental and non stigmatising manner.
