Successful local hospital liver cancer screening service continues to expand

More people in West Cheshire and Ellesmere Port are finding out about the health of their liver earlier, thanks to the continued expansion of liver disease screening that’s being provided by the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

More than 800 people were offered a free liver health screening last year either in hospital or at community clinics, as the local NHS Trust continues to find new ways make healthcare more widely available to improve the health of the local community.

Screening as many people as possible is the best way to diagnose liver illnesses, because they often go unnoticed and can be too far progressed by the time symptoms appear. It’s also the best way to spot liver cirrhosis, which raises the risk of cancer.

Last year the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was able to significantly expand its screening service, with patients now able to benefit from the addition of a second handheld ultrasound-like device (known as a FibroScan) and community-based clinics, where the focus is on encouraging people to get scanned who are less likely to go to hospital and could be at a higher risk of illness.

Patients who drink high levels of alcohol but who may not necessarily seek out liver screening were also being offered a screening when they attend the hospital for other issues by the Alcohol Care Team, in a proactive step by medical staff which has facilitated more patients being directly referred to hepatology, cutting out the need for GP or intermediate hospital appointments.

Kat Akerboom, Lead Gastroenterology Specialist Nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has been instrumental in expanding the FibroScan service further over the last 18 months.

Kat said:

“Making liver health screening tests more widely available ensures we can prevent the risk of cancer in our local community, through both our ability to better diagnose more people with undetected illnesses and the opportunity to have honest conversations with everyone we come into contact with about their lifestyle and any changes they can make to prevent the risk of liver disease.  

“We can see even more patients now that we have two scanners, and provide a more proactive service within our hospital, and community clinics. While we are only just getting started with this exciting new service, we’ve already tested 25% more patients in the last year, which has cut down on GP referrals and, for those who were found to have liver issues at an early stage, this will have undoubtedly cut out the need for future hospital appointments and lengthy treatments.”

When the FibroScans aren’t in use for patients, hospital staff have also had an opportunity to get checked themselves during specific staff clinic sessions, which proved incredibly popular. During an awareness week that focused on staff wellbeing last year, 85 staff were scanned, and one in ten were found to potentially have previously unknown liver fibrosis and were referred for further investigations, possibly preventing severe illness for them too.

And the service continues to grow, with plans in place that will ensure at least another 1,000 people will get a scan this year. The plans include working more closely with large local employers to hold events for their staff following a successful pilot recently with Airbus. There will be more outreach within the hospital Trust’s local communities to reach those who are most vulnerable and at risk of liver disease, such as using the hospital Trust’s new Mobile Research Unit to host community sessions and the new drop-in liver health clinics held every month at St Werburgh’s GP practice for people who are homeless.

A recent BBC Panorama titled “Binge Drinking and Me” – about why alcohol-related deaths from liver disease among women under 40 have risen sharply over the last decade – has brought widespread attention back to the issue of liver disease, making headlines nationwide. 

Panorama - Binge Drinking and Me - BBC iPlayer

In the documentary, BBC journalist Hazel Martin, learns more about FibroScan machines being used in the community at one of the Love Your Liver Roadshows which are run by the British Liver Trust.

BBC Panorama 'Binge Drinking and Me' puts a spotlight on alcohol-related liver disease - British Liver Trust

Pictured - The liver screening team at COCH.