WELCOME TO THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF THE LIVER
Dame Sheila Sherlock Prize Award Winner - Dr Wenhao Li, NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer & Specialist Registrar, Barts Liver Centre
Andy Burroughs Young Investigator Prize Award Winner - Dr Felicity Williams, Honorary Consultant Physiotherapist in Hepatology, UHB
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BASL ANNUAL MEETING
7th-10th October 2025
BASL ANNUAL MEETING 2025 - SAVE THE DATE
Tuesday 7th - Friday 10th October 2025
Including: BLTG Transplant Meeting 7th & 8th (am) and BLNA Nurse meeting - dates TBC
Venue: International Convention Centre, Belfast
BASL ANNUAL MEETING
BLNA
MEETING
BLTG
MEETING
BASL AND BASL SUB-GROUPS
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The British Association for the Study of the Liver is a multi-disciplinary society with around 900 members composed of interested individuals from clinical medicine, clinical and basic research and allied professions. |
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British Liver Nurses' Association is a professional nursing organisation aiming to develop knowledge and understanding of liver disease, in order to improve the quality of patient care. |
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The British Viral Hepatitis Group aims to improve the management and study of patients with chronic viral liver disease, bringing together UK hepatologists, gastroenterologists, infectious disease physicians, virologists and interested epidemiologists. |
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The BLTG (British Liver Transplant Group) was launched in 2014 to represent the professional interests of liver transplantation in the UK and promote strategic and academic development. The BLTG will foster close relationships with BTS (British Transplant Society) and LICAGE (Liver Intensive Care Group of Europe) and will build on the role of the UK and Ireland Annual Meeting by delivering structure and authority to the group. |
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Is a professional pharmacy organisation aiming to develop knowledge and understanding of liver disorders including viral hepatitis, in order to improve the quality of patient care, through medicines optimisation, collaborative and multi-disciplinary working and promoting patient-focused research. |
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British Association for Allied Health Professionals in Liver is a professional group for AHP’s specialising or working with patients with liver conditions. Bringing together specialist hepatology AHP’s from across the four Nations. Their aim is to promote excellence through the provision of AHP care to all patients with liver disorders. |
News
Vacancy - Senior Staff Specialist or Staff Specialist - Clinical and Research Lead Hepatology
Read moreJob Reference: QLD/RBH597575
Position status: Permanent
Position type: Full-time
Location: Brisbane - North
Salary: $357,998 - $447,015 per annum (total remuneration)
Closing Date: 18-Nov-2024
Permanent full time opportunity to provide leadership and oversight of both clinical activity and research in the field of hepatology on the Herston campus.
Visit > Here and > Here for the full job description and how to apply.
BASL - Press release: Latest data reinforces calls for extension of opt-out hepatitis B testing and highlights need to resolve inequalities
Read moreFriday 11th October 2024
Latest data reinforces calls for extension of opt-out hepatitis B testing and highlights need to resolve inequalities
New data presented today at The British Association for the Study of the Liver Annual Meeting in Harrogate has added weight to calls from the British Liver Trust for opt out blood testing to be made routinely available in all emergency departments across the UK. The research also highlights the urgent need for improvements to ensure adequate follow up and monitoring of patients who have been diagnosed with hepatitis B (HBV).
The British Liver Trust has been calling for the roll out of opt-out testing across all emergency Departments in the UK since testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C launched in April 2022 in Emergency Departments in areas of very high HIV diagnosed prevalence. All Emergency Department attendees over 18 years of age who were having blood tests done for any reason, were tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, unless they opted out. The initiative has unearthed a lot more cases of undetected hepatitis B than expected, resulting in a 30% increase in estimated prevalence and surge in demand for hepatitis B services.
Opt-out blood borne virus testing in Emergency departments was rolled out in areas of extremely high HIV prevalence in April 2022. This research described the cases identified through testing at two Emergency Departments in King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. In the first 18 months, out of the 837 patients who tested positive for viral hepatitis (hepatitis B or C), the majority, 715 (85%) tested positive for hepatitis B. Although 351 (42%) were already in care, almost a quarter (24%) were new diagnoses of hepatitis B, which can cause liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer and other serious health complications if left untreated.
56 patients (8%) had previously been diagnosed but were not receiving care or treatment, and a further 40 patients (6%) could not be contacted after the positive test to check that they were aware of their diagnoses. This highlights the need for strategies to ensure that patients with hepatitis B are followed up adequately, which requires information, education and patient involvement. It also identifies the need for research into barriers to accessing care which may include stigma, discrimination and language barriers.
Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive at the British Liver Trust said:
“If left undetected, the hepatitis B virus can cause liver damage and increase an individual’s risk of developing liver cancer, yet thousands of people in the UK are asymptomatic and unaware they are infected with it.
This latest research reinforces what we already knew – that opt-out testing is highly effective at identifying people living with previously undiagnosed blood borne viruses, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C, so that they can receive treatment, prevent further complications and ultimately reduce NHS spending in the long term.”
In England alone, over 200,000 people are estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) – the majority are undiagnosed, unlinked to care and at higher risk of premature death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Professor Raj Mookerjee, Secretary of the British Association for the Study of the Liver said:
“The opt-out testing programme in Emergency Departments in England has identified an unprecedented number of new cases of hepatitis B, particularly from disadvantaged groups who are less likely to come forward for routine testing, and whose only interaction with healthcare services has been via emergency departments.
Although the surge in demand for services and access to treatment has added to NHS pressures, wwe must continue to work with policy makers to identify affected patients and address the health inequalities to ensure that everyone has access to the treatment and care that they need.”
Senior author of the research, Dr Kate Childs, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said:
“This program has successfully identified a large number of patients with hepatitis B infection, who were either undiagnosed or not in care. Many of those tested live in areas of deprivation and have difficulty in accessing healthcare. This program empowers this group of individuals to attend for hepatitis B care, prevent onwards transmission and reduce the long-term risk of complications including liver cancer. Adequate resources are needed to ensure that hepatitis services are able to review and treat these patients in a timely manner.”
In November 2023, NHS England expanded the scope of opt-out testing for HIV and viral hepatitis in emergency departments to 47 sites across England. The British Liver Trust is calling for opt-out testing to be made routinely available across the UK.
ENDS
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR INTERVIEW REQUESTS CONTACT media@britishlivertrust.org.uk
From Professor Lingford-Hughes – Priority Setting – James Lind Alliance Survey
Read moreAs Chair of the Addiction Mission, Office of Life Sciences, I have been working with the James Lind Alliance to set top priorities for addiction research from the perspective of those with lived/living experience, families & carers and staff working in treatment and recovery services. More information can be found at https://www.jla.nihr.ac.uk/priority-setting-partnerships/addiction-mission/ .
Once the priorities have been determined, they will be discussed with funders to inform their strategy/funding calls. We have already had some preliminary discussions with NIHR and MRC are aware also.
The survey is now live and can be completed online or in paper form. The links are the above website and are also below:
• Complete an online survey
• Complete an easy read online survey
• Download a copy of the easy read survey print it out, write your answers on it and send it back to us by freepost at the address shown in the survey. Or download the easy read survey, type your answers in it, and email it back to us at the address shown in the survey.
The closing date is 8th October 2024.
Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes,
Professor of Addiction Biology,
Head, Division of Psychiatry
Dept of Brain Sciences,
Imperial College London,
Level 2, Commonwealth Bldg
Hammersmith campus,
160 Du Cane Road,
London W12 0NN.
Tel: 020 7594 8682
Chair of the Addiction Mission, Office of Life Sciences
Survey on MASH diagnostic pathway
Read moreNHS England is currently gathering information on the current landscape, approaches and service models for diagnosing Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
We are sharing a link that leads to a short survey to help us understand the barriers, challenges and opportunities from a clinical perspective.
Please complete the survey that takes approximately 10 minutes and can be found here.
Thank you for taking part.
UK first – telehealth SME to supply digital prehab services to liver transplant patients
Read more- QuestPrehab to begin working with 50 patients requiring liver transplantation
- First prehab service to work remotely with patients waiting on a transplant list
- The year-long trial to focus on anxiety reduction and improvement of liver frailty scores
- Potential to expand the service to patients with other liver diseases
Wednesday 17th July 2024: Kent-based telehealth company QuestPrehab has signed a contract with the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust to deliver digital prehabilitation (‘prehab’) services to liver patients across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.
The year-long trial with the South West Liver Unit at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust will see QuestPrehab work with 50 patients undergoing assessment and listing for liver transplant. If successful, the service may be expanded to patients living with other liver diseases and who currently are not on the list.
The digital programmes and resources run by the team at QuestPrehab will be specially developed to cater for the clinical and holistic needs of liver patients in collaboration with the Plymouth-based hospital team.
Prehab is a relatively new area of healthcare that focuses on improving the general health and activity of patients before surgery / treatment as a way of aiding their recovery.
Patients who complete their prehab course prior to planned surgery are less likely to be readmitted to hospital, enjoy improved health-related quality of life, return to work earlier and need less involvement with social and primary care providers.
The aim of the trial is to demonstrate two pivotal elements:
- the feasibility of remote delivery of prehab and the benefits in health-related quality of life for patients awaiting liver transplant
- how the usually long waiting time can be utilised in a positive and clinically effective manner … 50% of patients listed for transplant typically have a wait of six months or more
“We’re very excited to have the opportunity to expand much-needed support to our patients here in the south west,” said Professor Matthew Cramp, Consultant Hepatologist at the South West Liver Unit, UHP.
“Liver transplant patients face many challenges and to be able to provide a personalised prehab service while they wait for their surgery is something we’ve been keen to offer for some time. Having the consistency of supervision by a prehab specialist we hope will lead to a lower risk of complications post-transplant and improve quality of life both pre and post-operatively.”
“The signing of this ground-breaking contract with the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust will see us working hand-in-hand with the South West Liver Unit at Derriford Hospital to improve quality of life for their transplant patients,” said QuestPrehab founder Professor Tara Rampal. “Waiting for a liver transplant is an extremely anxious time for all patients. They face the uncertainty of when they will be called up for the transplant whilst also dealing with the consequences of advanced liver disease and the worry that their condition may deteriorate during this time.”
“Patients will receive a highly personalised programme based on four key areas – physical activity, anxiety management, diet advice and lifestyle modifications – with a goal of alleviating their level of anxiety and improving their liver frailty score.”
Each patient will be able to access their individualised programmes via QuestPrehab’s app. Exercise classes and support sessions will be delivered by a combination of phone, Zoom or Skype calls. Those patients who do not have access to suitable technology will be able to loan equipment from the South West Liver Unit during the trial at no cost to themselves.
The 12-month trial will be evaluated through standardised patient reported outcome measures and physical assessment scores.
News of the contract – the first of its kind in the UK – follows QuestPrehab’s recent deal to supply prehab services to two hospitals in China, along with its success in working with NHS oncology patients over the past four years.
Professor Tara Rampal explains: “Our service is scalable and cost efficient, making wide-scale adoption of digital prehab possible. It doesn’t require any modifications to pre-existing infrastructure, processes, patient pathways, or systems, so can be easily inserted into any healthcare provider.”
ENDS
Events
REGISTER HERE
Join us at the BASL School of Hepatology meeting that will be held face to face on Friday 1st November at Southampton General Hospital.
The event is FREE to attend for BASL medically qualified members in training (a £45 refundable deposit will be taken at the time of booking).
The non-member rate for this meeting is £72 (none refundable.) Not a BASL member? Then why not join today for £55, attend for free and have free or reduced registration fees at other member events - join HERE
The BASL School of Hepatology offers an excellent platform for trainees in hepatology, with lectures delivered by leading speakers from the UK. There will be ample opportunities for interaction with case presentations and group discussions.
Numbers are restricted to 40 delegates so book early to avoid disappointment.
Subject which will be covered:-
- General Hepatology MDT
- Achieving HCV elimination and lessons for addressing inequalities in liver disease – community experience
- Early diagnosis is a good diagnosis? Truth or scare
- Endo Hepatology - Interactive cases - MDT approach
- Endoscopic ultrasound - a multi shaded gray scale
View the programme here > Download Programme - BASL School Hepatology 2024 (5).pdf
REGISTER HERE
Contact Kim@basl.org.uk if you have any questions.
06/11/24
The RCPE will be delighted to welcome you to this year's Gastroenterology Symposium, which has been developed in association with the American College of Gastroenterology and the Scottish Society of Gastroenterology.
Experts will cover a range of topics on current and practical relevance, including:
• Obesity: shared responsibility
• Medical management of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
• The era of disease modification in inflammatory bowel disease has arrived
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• DEBATE: Artificial intelligence (AI) in endoscopy will solve it all
Programme details, and how to book, is available here: https://events.rcpe.ac.uk/rcpe-association-acg-ssg-gastroenterology-global-perspective
We hope this symposium is of interest to you and look forward to welcoming you to the RCPE in person or online.
Please save the date for the annual EOL SIG meeting taking place at Austin Court in Birmingham on the 7th November 2024.
Places for this meeting are limited, so please contact sigs@basl.org.uk to secure your place.
IN PERSON PLACES NOW FULL
Date: Thursday 7th November
Time: 9:30AM - 4:00PM
Location: 80 Cambridge Street, Birmingham B1 2NP
What3Words: ///float.roof.orbit
Travel information can be found here
For online registration please see here
Agenda: Download BASL EOL SIG Meeting - 7 11 24 Programme FINAL for circulation.pdf
AstraZeneca would like to invite you to the AZ HCC Educational Summit 2024!
The Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Educational Summit 2024 – The future of hepatocellular carcinoma care: optimising the patient journey.
This is a non-promotional, educational meeting intended for UK hepatology and oncology clinicians, fully funded and organised by AstraZeneca.
Join us for a one-day, educational event to collaborate with clinicians from a range of specialisms working within HCC care, with an agenda and content co-created by our expert faculty.
When and where?
Saturday 9 November 2024, 9:30–16:45 (GMT), AstraZeneca Office, 2 Pancras Square, King’s Cross, London.
Who is this event aimed at and what is the cost?
This continuing professional development (CPD)-accredited event is free to attend and aimed at clinicians involved in the management of patients with HCC in the UK.
Who is our expert faculty?
• Prof Tom Bird (Chair) – Consultant Hepatologist, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
• Katharine Caddick – Consultant Clinical Nurse Specialist, Southmead Hospital
• Prof Brian Davidson – Consultant Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary and Liver Transplant Surgeon, The Royal Free Hospital
• Dr Naureen Starling – Consultant Medical Oncologist, The Royal Marsden
What will I get out of it?
This face-to-face meeting is a unique opportunity to explore hot topics in HCC care from a
multi-disciplinary perspective, to equip you with practical strategies to enhance your ways of working and reduce inequalities in HCC care.
Through the patient perspective, expert presentations, immersive case scenarios and interactive
group discussions, we will explore how to optimise the patient pathway from surveillance to diagnosis
and treatment.
Please register your interest via our registration page here, where you can also find our full event agenda.
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to engage in lively discussions, connect with peers and gain insights from experts in the field!
GB-59919| DOP: October 2024
The British Hepatology Pharmacy Group is delighted to announce its forthcoming educational meeting:
Tuesday 12th November 2024
Time: 9:15 -16:15 (registration from 8:45)
Venue: ISH Venues, 1 Park Crescent, London W1B 1SH
The objectives of the BHPG are to provide national leadership for pharmacists working in the field of hepatology and to promote excellence in the provision of pharmaceutical care in this area. The group brings together senior representation from across the country with a wealth of experience in the field of hepatology.
We have an exciting agenda which will be delivered by a wide range of clinicians and healthcare professionals.
To view the draft programme click here> Download BHPG meeting agenda November 2024 (007).pdf
Topics include:
Pharmacist role in prevention & treatment of liver disease in Primary Care
Role of Pharmacist in MASLD clinic
HE management case study
Acute Liver Failure
Setting up of ACLD pharmacist-virtual clinic
The role of Hepatology Pharmacy Technicians
Update on Research projects
Registration Open and Free for all BASL/BHPG/BAAL/BLNA members. A £46 refundable deposit is requested on registration which will be refunded on the day when you attend the event.
Non- members £70 non-refundable.
Register > Here
Not a member of BASL/BHPG? Please consider joining to attend the meeting. Affiliate membership is £20 per annum.
Read more and join via the BASL website > Here
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If you have any questions, contact admin@basl.org.uk
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