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Jan
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The scope and remit of liver nurses is diversifying year on year, and we remain constant in the care and management of people with and at risk of liver disease. The diverse skills that we possess, such as being person centred, collaborative, advocates, solution focused, proactive, and demonstrating emotional intelligence in response to changing needs continue to be showcased by liver nurses locally across all four nations of the UK.
The BLNA are seeking liver nurses with a drive and enthusiasm to be involved on a national level in supporting, educating and demonstrating leadership for the liver nurse community.
The BLNA Committee requires 2 new committee members from April 2026 due to planned demitting, and are now seeking nominations for the following posts:
• 2 x 2-year tenure posts
This is an exciting opportunity for liver nurses to get involved with our friendly committee and share their skills and experience. You will gain experience working collaboratively and strategically at a national level to ensure that the needs of people with or at risk of liver disease and liver nurses are represented at the highest levels in the UK. The BLNA are key participants in several workstreams including the UK Liver Alliance, IQILs refresh, BSG liver section, BASL X-tra, RCN competence framework etc.
Expectations of committee members:
To attend monthly committee meetings held via Zoom, these take place usually on either the first or second Monday of each month; 13:00-14:30pm for full committee meetings or 12:30-13:30pm for interim committee meetings, these alternate each month
To attend the BLNA annual meeting and at least 1 face to face committee meeting each year. The planning, organisation and delivery of the BLNA annual meeting is a fundamental element of our responsibilities.
To attend additional meetings and complete associated workload necessary to the BLNA workstreams mentioned above.
To contribute to the review of abstract submissions for the BLNA annual meeting.
To contribute to the judging of applications for national awards recognising excellence and innovation in Hepatology.
To contribute to the planning and delivery BASL / BLNA webinars.
To provide content for the BLNA newsletter.
To contribute to articles related to liver nursing for publication in professional journals.
Please read some of the testimonials from BLNA members who have joined the committee: Download BLNA_Committee_Testimonials2026.pdf
If you are interested in joining the BLNA Committee, you must be a registered nurse with an interest in liver care and be a BLNA member.
BLNA Committee Member Nomination Process
Candidates wishing to be considered for election require one BLNA member to propose them, and a second BLNA member to confirm their suitability for the role in writing, by email.
Please note to be eligible to nominate, both the proposer and seconder must be a registered nurse and any nomination should include your NMC PIN number.
Email your nominations, including your NMC PIN number, to Judy at the BASL Secretariat at judy@basl.org.uk by the deadline of 23:59hrs on Monday 9th February 2026.
A personal statement, containing no more than approx. 300 words, is requested at the time of nomination from the candidates. The personal statements will be shared with the BASL BLNA membership should an election take place. (Personal statements are intended for this purpose only.)
If more than 2 candidates are nominated, the BASL Secretariat will arrange for an election of all BLNA members. 2 candidates will be elected by a simple majority of those BASL BLNA members voting.
Important information -
Newly elected BLNA committee members will be required to attend an On-boarding meeting via Zoom on Monday 23rd March from 2-4pm.
Newly elected BLNA Committee members will take over in post from 1st April 2026 and will be expected to be available to join the monthly committee meeting via Zoom which is taking place on Monday 13th April 2026 from 13:00 – 14:30pm.
BLNA Committee “Taster Experience”
Due to the success of a 1 year “taster experience”, the BLNA will be offering this role again for 2026. This role will be to join the BLNA committee on a 1-year term commencing in April 2026.
This “taster experience” would suit a registered nurse who is either under 5 years qualified, or new to the area of liver care, may be working in a ward environment (liver or gastro), or newly appointed liver related CNS. You will receive mentorship and support to assist you to gain insight, experience and develop skills in educational delivery and support for liver nurses; as well as increase your knowledge and understanding of strategic working at a national level.
The dates set out above in the important information also apply to this post.
Application process
To apply for this “taster experience”, please complete the application form below and submit it by email to Judy at the BASL Secretariat at judy@basl.org.uk by the deadline of 23:59hrs on Monday 9th February 2026.
Download BLNA_Taster_Experience_Application_Form_2026.pdf
(If you require a word version of the application form please contact admin@basl.org.uk)
The BLNA committee will make a decision based upon the information included in the application form as to a suitable candidate for the 1-year term.
Dianne Backhouse, BLNA Chair, is happy for members who are interested in joining the committee or applying for the taster experience to contact her if they have any questions, you can reach Dianne at dianne.backhouse@nhs.net or you can speak to one of the BLNA committee members, see the testimonials for members contact email addresses.
BASL is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work. It is actively promoting equal opportunities and access for all our members regardless of their background. We would, therefore, encourage you to consider joining the BLNA committee to help to shape the future of BASL, BLNA and liver nursing in the UK, and increase our inclusivity/inclusiveness.
Jan
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BASL’s Trainee Subcommittee members are nearing the end of their tenure and we are seeking expressions of interest from trainees to take over these roles.
The subcommittee was formed to increase regional representation for hepatology interested trainees and is formed of 8 regional representatives. The regions are:
South West
South East
Midlands
North West
North East
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Key roles will be in the promotion of hepatology locally and assistance in delivering BASL Trainee Educational events.
Read more here: Download BASL_Trainee_Subcommittee_Aims_Jan2026.pdf
Application:
The post will be for 2 years and members are invited to submit an expression of interest to judy@basl.org.uk detailing which region you are interested in representing, along with a personal statement containing no more than 300 words, explaining why you want to represent your region and what you can bring to the BASL Trainee Subcommittee.
NB: You must have a training number in Gastroenterology to apply.
In the case of multiple applicants for a region the Secretariat will arrange for an election of the BASL In Training members. Representatives will be elected by simple majority of those members voting. (The personal statement will be shared with the membership if there is a vote and will be used for this purpose only.)
Deadline for expressions of interest is 23:59 on 9th February 2026.
If you have any specific questions about the subcommittee roles, please do not hesitate to contact the BASL Committee Trainee Representative Dr Wenhao Li @ wenhao.li@qmul.ac.uk or admin@basl.org.uk
BASL is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work. It is actively promoting equal opportunities and access for all our members regardless of their background. We would, therefore, encourage you to consider representing your region on the BASL Trainee Sub-Committee to help to shape the future of BASL and increase our inclusivity/inclusiveness.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Jan
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Organ transplantation saves lives — but it also changes them in profound ways.
We're reaching out on behalf of a dedicated group of patients, carers, clinicians, and psychologists who are advocating for better psychological support for those living with a liver transplant and their families.
Many individuals have shared experiences of anxiety, depression, survivor’s guilt, trauma, and relationship strains during their journey. However, we still lack a complete understanding of these challenges and the emotional support needed.
This survey was initiated by the British Liver Transplant Group (BLTG) and the UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network (UKODTRN) and developed with input from patients, carers, and healthcare professionals, and aims to shed light on the support required for our community.
Please complete the survey honestly: your responses are completely anonymous and will directly inform the development of essential support services.
The results of the survey will be shared through liver-related charities, patient support groups, and on the UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network website.
Take part in the survey > HERE
Survey Deadline: Sunday, 8th February.
This survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
Please consider sharing this link with your liver patient networks to help us reach as many voices as possible. Together, we can make a difference.
Dec
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This scheme will offer approximately 10 bursaries a year to health care professionals working with people diagnosed with or at elevated risk of liver disease, to encourage and enable the professionals to develop their counselling skills to help them support these individuals in modifying their lifestyle to reduce their risk.
The bursary will cover the fees for an on-line certified course in Motivational Interviewing. The scheme is aimed at both professionals working in acute hospital services and also professionals working in the community including in organisations such as drug and alcohol services.
Applicants will have a choice between a one-day interactive online course offered by ETAL training on specific dates or a recorded course offered by APT constituting 18 hours of CPD which can be accessed anytime and taken in stages.
Bursaries will be awarded throughout the year. Applicants working in the Staffordshire area will have priority; applications from elsewhere in the UK will be considered. Decisions on awards will be made by a committee of people with experience working in hospitals and the primary care sector. The bursaries will be awarded from a fund held for this scheme by the British Liver Trust.
Awardees will be expected to provide a feedback report after they have completed the course in order to provide an audit trail for the expenditure of the charitable donations and also to enable us to assess the impact of the bursaries.
Applicants should complete this online form: Application Form.
Read more about Dr Alison Brind > here
If you have any questions about the bursary or the application process, please contact alisonbursary@gmail.com
(Added 15.12.25)
Oct
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Dr Falk Pharma, BASL, British Liver Trust Award Winners 2025
These team awards recognised the need to share excellence in clinical service development and improvements that have clear benefit for people with liver disease.
Innovation Award
Dr William Rowley and team
Project Title: AI-Assisted Streamlining of Hepatobiliary Cancer MDTs to Improve Efficiency and Decision Quality
Read the study summary > Here
Quality & Service Improvement Award
Dr Jay Patel, Anna Lipinska and team
Project Title: The Hepatology/Path-2-Recovery clinic: improving healthcare access for vulnerable adults with alcohol-related liver disease
Read the study summary > Here
Quality & Service Improvement Award
Dr Tamsin Cargill and team
Project Title: Hepatology at home: a novel pathway for the integrated management of patients with liver disease in the home
Read the study summary > Here
(left to right): Maya Vlahovic (Falk Foundation Manager UK/IRE), Dr Tamsin Cargill, Dr Ian Rowe (BASL President), Dr William Rowley, Vanessa Hebditch (Director of Communications and Policy at the British Liver Trust), Dr Jay Patel, Anna Lipinska.
Oct
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A statement from Dr Palak Trivedi in his role as BASL/BSG Immune Liver Disease SIG Chair
I write with reference to a statement released by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the beginning of September 2025, as relates to Obeticholic acid (OCA, Ocaliva) for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).
In their statement, the FDA issued notice that Intercept Pharma (who do not operate in the United Kingdom) have withdrawn the license for OCA to treat individuals with PBC in the United States. This recommendation was made following that of the European Medicines Association (EMA) in 2024, which itself came after results of a post-market approval, phase IV randomised controlled clinical trial (COBALT trial, 747-302). To recap, COBALT was specifically designed to treat patients with advanced liver disease / high-risk PBC, with the primary efficacy outcome being a reduction in liver event free survival (hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma, need for transplantation and/or death). As per previous statements from BASL, the patient population in COBALT (a) represented a minority (<20%) of the overall PBC group eligible to receive second-line therapy, and (b) this trial took place at a time period when OCA was available for commercial use as part of routine clinical care. This meant that recruitment to the COBALT programme was challenging, as the vast majority of patients with high-risk liver disease opted for commercially available drug rather than take a chance at being on placebo for up to 7 years. Consequently, the COBALT trial was not able to recruit the required number of patients according to pre-specified power calculations and sample size, and was terminated early.
Following review of clinical trial data, and the inability to recruit to COBALT, the FDA claimed that the clinical benefits of OCA did not impart benefit to patients beyond certain on-treatment biochemical changes, and that:
• Use of OCA outside its clinical label (cirrhosis with clinically significant portal hypertension) may be associated with harm, with an increased risk of clinical events
• Certain individuals without cirrhosis also developed clinical events in the COBALT study (i.e. high risk individuals with very high levels of bilirubin in the absence of cirrhosis, in keeping with the premature ductopenic PBC variant.
Notably, these claims were made despite no new safety concerns / adverse safety data being provided to the FDA since their last review of OCA''s place as a PBC treatment. It is also important to highlight that the FDA did not take into account any of the published real-world evidence evaluating OCA over several years (at a population level), nor the wealth of clinical evidence and patient testimonials from countries where OCA is actually available and used (such as the UK). Indeed, data from multiple sources show a significant improvement in liver biochemical markers and a reduction in clinical event rate in patients with earlier stage PBC - .Abbas et al. APT 2025 (in press); Ampuero et al. Hepatology 2023
As it stands OCA is still licensed in several western markets, including the UK, Australia and Canada, with off-label access in many European countries (e.g. Spain). With regards the UK specifically, there are as yet no changes to recommendations on the use of OCA in PBC from the MHRA or NICE. As such, the FDA recommendation has NO direct impact on the use of OCA in routine clinical practice, or in clinical trials (e.g. the OPERA study or the OACS programme).
Thus, we, categorically, DO NOT recommend that any patient empirically stop Obeticholic acid therapy at present, nor do we suggest that any patient eligible to receive OCA de novo be stopped from doing so following the EMA recommendation.
End
Oct
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Brought to you by the Frontline Gastroenterology (FG) journal, this webinar was recorded on 1st October 2025.
The webinar discusses everything from care bundles for decompensated cirrhosis, and beyond. The speakers focus on the FG paper "Decompensated cirrhosis: an update of the BSG/BASL admission care bundle" which can be found via https://fg.bmj.com/content/16/e1/e3 .
A panel of leading international hepatology experts guide you through this challenging condition and answer many questions.
Webinar hosts - FG Trainee Editors:
Dr Kohi Gananandan
Dr Eathar Shakweh
Dr Irene Perez
Speakers:
Prof Stuart McPherson, BSG VP Hepatology (UK)
Prof Elliot Tapper, University of Michigan (USA)
Dr Salvatore Piano, University Hospital of Padova (Italy)
WATCH > HERE
Oct
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Read the BASL special issue of Frontline Gastroenterology online.
Read Today
A collection of papers discussing all current and relevant topics in hepatology.
This special edition has been made to celebrate BASL's affiliation with Frontline Gastroenterology.
Listen to the team discuss the papers in this recent special edition.
Listen > Here
Participants:
Dr Oliver Tavabie - Deputy Editor at Frontline Gastroenterology and Consultant Hepatologist at the Leeds Liver Unit
Dr Louise China - Lead Associate Editor at Frontline Gastroenterology and Consultant Hepatologist at the Royal Free
Dr Tim Cross - BASL President, Associate Editor at Frontline Gastroenterology and Consultant Hepatologist at the Royal Liverpool Hospital
We hope you enjoy the #FGPodcast.
Oct
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Do you want to help answer an important clinical question in hepatology and improve care? Do you want to get involved in a large national collaborative project with PubMed-cited collaborative authorship?
EVADE (Evaluating Variation in management following admission with Acute DEcompensation of cirrhosis) is a trainee-led national multicentre audit, and our first study with a prospective design! It is led by ToRcH-UK (national research network for trainees and AHPs), supported by a Guts UK grant and we are grateful for wide endorsement from BASL, BSG, SSG, WAGE, USG, and the British Liver Trust.
Following acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis, patients experience significant morbidity with 90-day mortality rates greater than 50% for the sickest patients. Significant variation in care exists and the BSG/BASL Decompensated Cirrhosis Discharge Bundle was developed to try and improve and standardise care. The aim of this study is to evaluate management and outcomes after discharge against these standards, looking at regional variation, and re-admission and mortality at 30, 60 and 90 days. From speaking to patients, we know this is an important area of unmet need!
Site registration opens today 22/09/25 and closes 31/12/25. Any patient who suffered acute decompensation of cirrhosis as part of their admission and is discharged between 01/01/26-31/03/26 is eligible for inclusion, with the follow-up period running until 30/06/26.
All clinicians, including specialist nurses and allied health professionals are encouraged to take part. Data will be submitted anonymously on REDCap. Each hospital site will have a site lead (registrar) with a supervising gastroenterology/hepatology consultant. The study can be registered via your local Audit Department and will not require R&D approval.
If you would like to take part, please access the EVADE study dashboard which provides the protocol and supporting materials. A collaborative authorship model on future publications will be employed for all contributors. If you have any questions, please contact us via committee@torchuk.org. We look forward to working with you on this exciting project!
Best wishes
ToRcH-UK committee
@torchuk.bsky.social
X @uk_torch
Sep
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Nominations are now open for The British Journal of Nursing Awards 2026!
Please nominate for the Gastrointestinal Nurse of the Year category
Gastrointestinal nurses carry out vital work across a multitude of specialisms and duties, including improving patient outcomes, promoting self-management and educating individuals on the nature and course of their conditions. This award recognises an individual or team who have made a significant impact in the provision, assessment or development of gastroenterological, liver and IBD-related care.
Visit the BJN website for all of the information and how to enter HERE
Entries close on 7th November 2025!
The BJN Awards will be held at BMA House in London on Friday, 20th March 2026, celebrating excellence in research and practice while recognising outstanding achievements across the nursing community.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please email nurseledconferences@markallengroup.com .
