Patients alerted over Hepatitis C

A group of women who were treated at three Scottish hospitals are being screened for Hepatitis C.

The 67 women are among 2,000 in the UK who were patients of a gynaecologist who had the virus.

The doctor worked at 25 hospitals in England and three in Scotland - Forth Park and the Victoria in Kirkcaldy and the Royal Alexandra in Paisley.

Health officials insisted the risk of infection was very small and screening was being undertaken as a precaution.

Officials from Health Protection Scotland have contacted 41 patients treated by NHS Fife in 1986 and 26 patients who were treated by NHS Argyll and Clyde in 1997 and 1998.

They have received letters, warning them they could be at risk.

We have worked hard to carefully identify any patient who might have been at risk Dr Lesley MacDonald NHS Fife

The women have been asked to take a blood test to make sure they are safe and have been offered counselling.

The gynaecologist was immediately transferred to a healthcare area where patients were not at risk.

NHS Argyll & Clyde's consultant in public health medicine, Catherine Chiang, said: "Like most people who are infected with hepatitis C, the healthcare worker had no symptoms and was unaware of the infection."

Dr Lesley MacDonald, NHS Fife's director of public health, said: "We have worked hard to carefully identify any patient who might have been at risk of contracting infection with hepatitis C."