NTEP - the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme

NTEP - the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme Haemoptysis, or coughing up blood, is a symptom of tuberculosis (TB). The National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) was set up in 1997 to eliminate TB in England and Wales.

Since its inception, the number of cases of TB has fallen dramatically. In 1997, there were 8,297 cases of TB reported in England and Wales. By 2013, this had fallen to just 2,473 - a reduction of 70%.

The NTEP is a partnership between the Department of Health, Public Health England and local authorities. It is funded by the Department of Health and delivered by Public Health England.

The programme has four key goals: To reduce the incidence of TB To improve case detection To ensure prompt treatment and cure To reduce transmission How the NTEP works

The NTEP works in four main ways:

Prevention: The programme funds vaccination against TB for children and adults at risk.

BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin) is a vaccine that protects against TB. It is given to newborn babies, children under five years old and adults who are at increased risk of contracting TB.

Screening: The programme funds screening for people who are most at risk of developing TB. This includes screening people who have recently arrived in the UK from countries where TB is common, as well as close contact of people with active TB disease.

Treatment: The programme funds treatment for people with active TB disease. Treatment usually lasts six months and involves taking a combination of antibiotics every day.

Surveillance: The programme funds surveillance of TB cases to help control and eliminate the disease. This includes reporting cases of TB to Public Health England and carrying out genotyping (a type of DNA test) on samples from people with active TB disease. Genotyping can help to identify outbreaks of drug-resistant strains of TB and allows for tailored treatment to be provided.

Conclusion: The NTEP has been successful in reducing the incidence of TB in England and Wales since its inception in 1997. However, there is still more work to be done in order to eliminate the disease completely. If you think you may have been exposed to TB or are displaying any symptoms, please see your GP as soon as possible."