Liver disease toolkit
The aims of the BLT/RCGP Liver Priority Project are to raise awareness of liver disease as an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK and to provide resources to support its optimal management in primary care.
Introduction
Liver disease is one of the five most common causes of premature death in the UK and is the only major cause of death that has a year by year increasing incidence. However, more than 90% of liver disease is preventable. The three major causes of liver disease in adults are alcohol-related liver disease, obesity and metabolic syndrome leading to non-alcohol-related liver disease, and viral hepatitis.
The aims of the British Liver Trust/RCGP Liver Clinical Priority Project are to raise awareness of liver disease as an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK and to provide resources to support its optimal management in primary care.
Upcoming Liver Disease Events : Improving the Detection and Management of Liver Disease in Primary Care
When you've used one of the resources, use the reflection template for your appraisal portfolio.
- Personal learning reflection template [75 KB, DOC]
Give your feedback and suggestions
This toolkit has been developed in partnership between the RCGP and the British Liver Trust.
Please send any feedback or suggestions to clinicalquality@rcgp.org.uk
Alcohol and Liver disease
On this page you will find useful links to guide consultations around alcohol use and risk of liver disease. This includes links to latest NICE and British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines, tools to assess level of alcohol use and information sheets for your patients.
Cirrhosis develops progressively as a result of damage to the liver (which can be due to a number of causes), usually over a number of years.
- Summary on diagnosing and assessing problem alcohol use. Problem drinking is defined as regular consumption of alcohol above recommended levels.
- How to manage abnormal liver blood tests
- Alcohol use screening tests - GOV.UK. The alcohol use screening tests can be used by health professionals as a tool to assess a service users level of risk to alcohol harm.
A lot of people see alcohol as simply something to be enjoyed and as a normal part of life in the UK. Other than a few unwelcome side effects, such as a hangover or putting on a bit of weight, many of us are unaware about the unseen damage alcohol can do to the body.
NAFLD and liver disease
On this page you will find useful links to guide consultations with patients who are at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This includes latest NICE and British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines, tools to assess risk of liver fibrosis and information sheets for your patients.
- Summary on diagnosing and managing NAFLD. Covers the management of people with suspected or confirmed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in primary care, and when to refer.
- How to manage abnormal liver blood tests. These guidelines on the management of abnormal liver blood tests have been commissioned by the Clinical Services and Standards Committee (CSSC) of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) under the auspices of the liver section of the BSG.
- What is Non-Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)? NHS.
- New NICE Guidelines on Cirrhosis and Non-Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), British Liver Trust.
This is the name given to a condition in which you have too much fat in your liver. There should be little or no fat in a healthy liver and for most people, carrying a small amount of fat in the liver causes no major problems.
Hepatitis C and liver disease
On this page you will find useful links to guide consultations with patients who are at risk of Hepatitis C. This includes latest guidelines, information from Public Health England (PHE) around new treatments and elimination targets and information sheets for your patients.
Information for your patients