Background: Effective strategies are needed to provide screening and treatment for hepatitis B and C to immigrant groups in the UK at high risk of chronic infection. This study aimed to build an understanding of the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards these conditions and their management in a range of high-risk minority ethnic communities and health professionals, in order to inform the design of a screening and treatment programme in primary care. Methods: Qualitative data collection consisted of three sequential phases-(i) semi-structured interviews with key informants (n = 17), (ii) focus groups with people from Chinese, Pakistani, Roma, Somali, and French-and Englishspeaking African communities (n = 95), and (iii) semi-structured interviews with general practitioners (n = 6). Datasets from each phase were analysed using the Framework method.

The incidence of TB and HIV/TB coinfection rates continues to be major challenges in the developing world. Demographic, socioeconomic trends as well as risk factors remain unchanged. Increased HIV screening and HAART coverage offers hope for the future.