Nottingham has highest rate of hospital admissions for liver disease in England

Nottingham has three times the national average hospital admissions for liver disease – making it the highest admission rate in England. Most liver disease can be prevented with earlier diagnosis and the national charity, the British Liver Trust is visiting the region to raise awareness.

The British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver campaign is visiting Nottingham on Monday 26th June and will be providing free liver checks in a branded mobile screening unit. The Love Your Liver awareness campaign aims to reach the one in five people in the UK who may have the early stages of liver disease, but are unaware of it.

Andrew Langford Chief Executive, British Liver Trust said, “Liver disease and cancer of the liver affects millions of people in the UK – and the numbers diagnosed have been increasing at an alarming rate. It is a silent killer and people often don’t realise they have a problem until it is too late. Although the liver is remarkably resilient, if left until you see signs it is often irreversible. I would urge everyone to take our online screener on our website to see if they are at risk and if you are in the area please pop down to our mobile screening unit”

Dr Stephen Ryder, Consultant Hepatologist of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Clinical Lead to the British Liver Trust said, “At the moment three quarters of the people we see already have cirrhosis when they are diagnosed with liver disease. We are delighted to be supporting the British Liver Trust with this campaign to raise awareness and alert people to the risk factors. Early diagnosis really can save lives.”

Liver disease is largely preventable. More than 90% is due to three main risk factors: obesity, alcohol and viral hepatitis. The British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver campaign focuses on three simple steps to Love Your Liver back to health:

Drink within recommended limits and have three consecutive days off alcohol every weekCut down on sugar, carbohydrates and fat and take more exerciseKnow the risk factors for viral hepatitis and get tested or vaccinated if at risk

The Roadshow comprises a mobile unit where people can take a free online screening test and find out if they are at risk. Free scanning will also be available using a non-invasive device. There will be expert advice on how to keep your liver healthy from healthcare professionals who will be on hand to provide advice on diet, exercise and healthy living.

The Trust provides support and detailed information for anyone with, or affected by a liver condition. For more information, details of all the screening events or to take the online ‘Love Your Liver’ health screener, visit www.britishlivertrust.org.uk.

Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre’s Scarred Liver Project team, which works in partnership with the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network, will also be joining the Love Your Liver Tour bus on the day. The project is one of the first in the UK aiming to increase diagnosis in primary care. They will be on hand to talk about the initiative which is detecting liver disease quickly and easily in the East Midlands. The project has developed an innovative way to diagnose chronic liver disease at a critical early stage, often when there are no apparent symptoms. This involves GPs actively seeking out patients at risk of chronic liver disease and offering them a Fibroscan®. This pathway, is now available at more than 100 GP practices across 4 Clinical Commissioning Groups serving a population of approximately 700,000 people. The Scarred Liver Project has launched a new website for patients and healthcare professionals with lots of information and advice: www.scarredliverproject.org.uk

The British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver mobile screening unit will be at Castle Marina Retail Park, Castle Bridge Road, Nottingham, NG7 1GX on Monday 26th June and anyone wishing to take advantage of this free event should attend between 10am and 4pm.

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Notes to Editors

For further information:
For journalists to arrange a non-invasive screening session or to arrange an interview:

Please contact Yvonne Wilcox on 01425 600211 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Vanessa Hebditch on 01425 600208 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Regional statistics from Liver Disease Profiles – Public Heath England https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/liver-disease/data

Further information about the EMAHSN Scarred Liver Project:

• The Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre led the initial pilot in Nottinghamshire and EMAHSN funded further roll-outs in Nottingham and Leicester in order to evaluate effectiveness. EMAHSN supported the development of the commissioning case which has resulted in implementation of a risk-based stratification pathway for chronic liver disease (which includes Fibroscan®) within South Nottinghamshire.
• Since the introduction of the new diagnostic pathway in South Nottinghamshire 649 patients have been sent for a Fibroscan by their GP (as of June 2017).
• 24.5% of patients who attended have had an abnormal scan consistent with some degree of liver scarring. All patients who attend the pathway will have received lifestyle information and advice on improving their liver health.
• EMAHSN funded a health economics report into the Scarred Liver Project and concluded that implementation of the risk stratification pathway is cost effective for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD), compared with current standard care. Costs are significantly within the NICE threshold of £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) at £2,138 per QALY for NAFLD and £6,537 per QALY for ALD.
• More than 90% of patients who attended the pathway stated that they would recommend the scan to friends and family.
• The Scarred Liver Project has just launched a new website for patients and healthcare professionals with lots of information and advice: www.scarredliverproject.org.uk