News Articles 151 - 160 of 160

11
Oct
PHE launch new Hepatitis C test
News Type: BASL News

Public Health England (PHE) has developed the first ever clinically validated whole genome sequencing test for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) as part of a global effort to eliminate HCV by 2025. PHE will be the first place in the UK to offer a clinically validated test which looks at both viral strain and resistance in one test. The previous test PHE used involved two separate processes, one which identifies the strain and another which identifies the virus’ resistance. The new combined test took over 5 years to develop and will halves the current HCV diagnosis period from 20 to 10 days. This enables clinicians to provide patients with quicker access to curative treatment plans, thus reducing complications of the disease. Clinicians will also see a £130 saving per test compared to the existing system. PHE hopes that as the first WGS test for viruses this will serve as a model for other viruses such as HIV.

You can find out more about requesting a test here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/antiviral-unit-avu-reference-services .

The link to the HCV testing request form can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hcv-genotypic-susceptibility-testing-request-form 

26
Sep
New hepatology trials
News Type: Hepatology News

Two new hepatology trials have been discussed and intellectually supported by the BSG-BASL Liver Research Development Group. These are supported from the NIHR HTA funding stream.

Beta Blockers Or Placebo for Primary Prophylaxis of oesophageal varices (BOPPP) is a UK wide multi-centre liver study. It will address whether primary prophylaxis against future variceal haemorrhage with non-selective beta blockers  is clinically and economically effective in patients with cirrhosis and small varices. £2.3 million will be provided to consent, treat and follow up 1,200 patients at 25 different hospitals across the UK. The trial is led by the Institute of Liver Sciences, King’s College Hospital and King’s College London Clinical Trials Unit. For more information: Download Press release BOPPP_FINAL_19.09.2018.pdf.

Antibiotic SpontanEous PeritoniTIs Cirrhosis (ASEPTIC) is a double blind placebo controlled trial to determine whether primary antibiotic prophylaxis with Cotrimoxazol substantially reduces the incidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in people with advanced liver disease. This will be the largest study of SBP prophylaxis ever, involving patients at 30 sites. The trial is led by Unveristy College London. For more information:  Download ASEPTIC trial information for BSG and BASL.pdf.

 

04
Sep
AHA Postcard Campaign: Duty increases and MUP
News Type: BASL News

The Alcohol Health Alliance UK (AHA) is launching a new campaign calling on MPs to end alcohol tax breaks in the upcoming Budget to ease the pressure on the NHS and other public services.

We need your support! Will you send a postcard to your local MP asking them to increase alcohol duty by 2% above inflation, and to introduce minimum unit pricing of alcohol (MUP)?

The postcards carry the photos of six people who have been affected by alcohol in different ways: a mother who lost her 16-year-old daughter to cheap white cider; an alcohol harm police officer with Durham Constabulary; a homeless support worker; two frontline doctors; and a Teesside newsagent. All feel passionately that more needs to be done to tackle the harms caused by cheap alcohol.

Watch these videos to hear their stories, and send your postcard here. Please share this important campaign with your networks and encourage them to send postcards too.

24
Aug
HCC-UK Committee Elections - deadline for expressions of interest 6th September 2018
News Type: BASL News

The purpose of HCC UK is to promote the professional collaboration in research, education and clinical service development for primary liver cancers. Its affiliation with BASL recognises the multi-disciplinary nature of collaboration in research and clinical practice needed to lead improvement in the quality of patient care. In particular, HCC-UK, through its committee, shall:

a)        Maintain a suite of educational activities across basic research and clinical practice relating to primary liver cancer in the UK, acknowledging the multi-disciplinary nature of UK practice and including scientists, specialist, generalist and trainee clinicians.

b)        Be a forum for sharing research initiatives, including the collection of material for national studies.

c)        Build links with other health professionals in primary care, gastroenterology, radiology, surgery and pathology, including development of referral pathways that provide equity of access to surveillance, diagnosis and treatment for patients with primary liver cancer throughout the UK.

d)        Develop guidelines to promote best practice. 

e)        Arrange an annual Business Meeting open to the full Group, to ensure that the formal organisational arrangements set out below are adhered to.

The HCC-UK committee meetings take place three to four times a year.

 

HCC-UK Committee positions

HCC-UK are seeking nominations for the committee positions set out below. Once elected, all post holders will serve for three years and may be re-elected for one further term:

Chair - will chair committee meetings

Secretary - will be responsible for running the administrative tasks pertaining to his/her function.

Conference & education lead

Basic science lead

Hepatology representative

Oncology representative

Surgery representative

Radiology representative

Pathology representative

Nursing representative

 

Nomination Process

Please send your nomination, clearly stating the relevant position that your nomination is for to the BASL Secretariat at Samantha@basl.org.uk by the deadline of 17:00 on Thursday 6 September 2018.

Candidates wishing to be considered for election should be a member of BASL HCC-UK, and will require one BASL HCC-UK member to propose them and a second to confirm their suitability for the role in writing.

If more than one candidate is nominated the Secretariat will arrange for an election of BASL HCC-UK members, in which all BASL members affiliated to HCC-UK may vote.  Should an election be required, candidates will need to submit a personal statement of up to 300 words. The successful candidate will be elected by a simple majority of those members voting.

If you need any more information, please contact Samantha@basl.org.uk.

Best regards

BASL Secretariat

17
Aug
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Staging Calculator now available
News Type: BASL News

A Hepatocellular Carcinoma Staging Calculator is now availablle. This tool is designed to aid calculation of the mandatory liver-specific COSD items BCLC stage, UKELD score and TNM stage, which are used to inform treatment decisions. Use of this calculator ensures standardised and accurate calculation of these items. Click here to access the calculator.

10
Aug
Hepatitis C in the UK 2018 report
News Type: BASL News

Hepatitis C in the UK 2018 report - a copy of the report, press release, infographic and slide set can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deaths-from-hepatitis-c-have-fallen-by-11-per-cent-in-the-last-year .

01
Aug
AHA Job Opportunity: Media and Comms Adviser
News Type: BASL News

The Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) are now recruiting for the AHA Media and Comms Adviser position.

Application deadline is 19 August, interviews on 6 SeptembeN

About the Role
The Alcohol Health Alliance is looking for a proactive communications professional to drive its media work and cement its position as the leading national voice on alcohol and health. Based at the prestigious Royal College of Physicians, this is a rare opportunity to work with high-profile partners and internationally-renowned experts to influence public health policy at the highest level.

Responsibilities
• You’ll drive our media work and position yourself as journalists’ first point of contact for alcohol-related stories
• You’ll find creative new ways to make our messages heard, drafting press releases, web copy, briefings and articles
• You’ll develop and deliver a communications strategy that positions the AHA as leading national voice on alcohol and health
• You’ll work with the AHA’s policy and advocacy team (based at the Institute of Alcohol Studies) and the AHA’s 50 members to influence alcohol-related policy at the highest level
• You’ll manage the day-to-day operation of the AHA.
Salary Band: Grade 4, £30,188 - £36,226 per annum
Benefits include 27 days of annual leave, 7% employer pension contribution, free lunches, season ticket loan (access to this loan is after probation) and much more.

More information can be found here: https://jobs.rcplondon.ac.uk/VacancyDetails.aspx?VacancyID=570 .

06
Jul
BASL Trainee Mentoring Sessions at BASL2018
News Type: BASL News

When - on the morning of Thursday 20th September 2018.

Where – during BASL 2018 at the University of York.

Criteria – you must be a BASL Medically Qualified in Training Member and be registered for the BASL Annual Meeting 2018.

The mentoring sessions will be informal and will cover advice on career development. They will be led by Professor Michael Heneghan, Consultant Hepatologist & Professor of Hepatology at the Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital and Dr Tim Cross, Consultant Hepatologist at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Times: a slot can be booked from 09:15 – 11:45 and are being offered on a first come first served basis. They can be booked in advance with up to 12 one to one slots of 30 minutes each available, with the final sessions starting at 11:45.

To Book: to book a session in advance please email steve@basl.org.uk before 2 p.m. on Friday 7th September 2018, or to book a session on the day please speak to one of my colleagues on the Registration Desk at BASL2018.

We look forward to seeing you at BASL2018. 

21
Jun
Dame Shelia Sherlock Research Prize 2018 - apply now - deadline 31st July 2018
News Type: BASL News

Deadline: Tuesday 31st July 2018

Each year BASL presents the Dame Sheila Sherlock research prize, one of the highlights of the annual meeting. This prize is awarded annually to recognise the enormous contribution of Dame Sheila Sherlock to the development of Hepatology as a discipline in its own right.

When Dr Sherlock started her medical career, little was known about liver disease. Her work helped to establish hepatology as a medical specialty. She pioneered the use of needle liver biopsy, which had been used purely as a research tool, based on the technique of Sir John McMichael; this improved understanding of the pathology of liver disease and is used in the diagnosis of liver diseases today. The liver unit that she set up at the Royal Free Hospital became the centre for both research into liver disease and the education of trainees in the specialty.

Dame Sheila was involved in the foundation of the British Liver Club in 1961, which subsequently evolved into The British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL). She was one of our past presidents and the first recipient of The BASL Distinguished Service Award. In keeping with Dame Sheila’s enthusiasm for fostering young researchers, this eponymous research prize is awarded to young investigators without substantive posts in either medicine or science for their research contributions in the field of Hepatology.

The winner of the award will deliver a lecture presenting their research during the BASL Annual Meeting, 19-21 September 2018 at the University of York. This year the prize is free registration to the meeting, a place at the Annual Dinner and £1,000.

To apply, please send one A4 sheet outlining the research and another A4 sheet detailing the related publications.

Please send submissions to steve@basl.org.uk before the deadline of 17:00 on Tuesday 31st July 2018.

25
May
BLTG COMMITTEE POST VACANCIES - DEADLINE FRIDAY 15TH JUNE
News Type: BASL News

The tenure of a number of BLTG Committee Posts will come to an end in September 2018. As such, BLTG are now seeking expressions of interest for the following positions:

Secretary – elected by the BLTG members to serve for a period of up to three years and may be re-elected once. The Secretary is responsible for running the administrative tasks pertaining to his/her function and will work closely with the BASL Secretariat, which is appointed by the BASL Governing Board.

Transplant Hepatology Representative – elected by the BLTG members and will service for a period of 3 and 2 years alternating. This post is for a period of 2 years.

Nurse Representative (x1 post) - the Nurse Representative is elected by the BLTG members and will serve for a period of two years and may be re-elected once. The Nurse Representative post is for a transplant co-ordinator.

Pathology Representative – elected by the BLTG members for a term of 3 years.

Nomination Process
Please send your nominations, clearly stating the position that your nomination is for, to the BASL Secretariat at judy.hawksworth@execbs.com by the deadline of Friday 17:00 15th June 2018.

Candidates wishing to be considered for election will require one BLTG member to propose them and a second BLTG member to confirm their suitability for the role in writing. If more than one candidate is nominated, the Secretariat will arrange for an election of all members. He/she will be elected by simple majority of those members voting. A personal statement, containing no more than approx. 300 words, will be required from the candidate should an election need to take place. 

The newly elected posts will be announced at the next Business Meeting of the Association during the BLTG Transplant Meeting in September 2018.
If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to contact judy.hawksworth@execbs.com .

Best regards,
BASL Secretariat