Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey

Background: Liver disease is an increasing cause of premature mortality. Early detection of liver disease in primary care gives opportunity to intervene and change outcomes. Engagement in liver disease care by NHS bodies responsible for primary care pathway development could drive improvements. The...

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Main Authors: Helen Jarvis, Charlotte Berry, Jonathan Worsfold, Vanessa Hebditch, Stephen Ryder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Royal College of General Practitioners 2025-04-01
Series:BJGP Open
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Online Access:https://bjgpopen.org/content/9/1/BJGPO.2024.0142
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author Helen Jarvis
Charlotte Berry
Jonathan Worsfold
Vanessa Hebditch
Stephen Ryder
author_facet Helen Jarvis
Charlotte Berry
Jonathan Worsfold
Vanessa Hebditch
Stephen Ryder
author_sort Helen Jarvis
collection DOAJ
description Background: Liver disease is an increasing cause of premature mortality. Early detection of liver disease in primary care gives opportunity to intervene and change outcomes. Engagement in liver disease care by NHS bodies responsible for primary care pathway development could drive improvements. The formation of integrated care systems (ICS) in England provides an opportunity to reassess engagement with liver disease nationally. Aim: To update the level of engagement with community chronic liver disease management among ICSs and health authorities across the UK. Design & setting: A cross-sectional follow-up survey to ICS and UK health boards. Method: Questions used for a previous survey in 2020 were adapted and sent electronically to NHS bodies responsible for health care across the UK, using a freedom of information request. Quantitative analysis was undertaken using Microsoft Excel. Results: There were 67 responses from 68 possible ICS and health board areas, representing 99% UK coverage. Twenty-seven per cent had a named individual responsible for liver disease. Monitoring of local liver disease health statistics happened in 34% of all UK areas. Comprehensive care pathways were available in n = 24/67 (36%) of areas, an increase from 26% in the 2020 survey. Areas with no liver pathways in place fell from 58% to 36% between the two surveys. Regional variations persist, with Wales and Scotland moving towards comprehensive coverage. Almost double the number of areas were making use of transient elastography within community pathways of care, up from 25% to 46%. Conclusion: The results of this re-survey highlight improvements, but emphasise the need to build on regional success to further reduce inequality in care commissioning.
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spelling doaj-art-b2491fc2f33d492b90804db963af3cb82025-08-20T01:47:53ZengRoyal College of General PractitionersBJGP Open2398-37952025-04-019110.3399/BJGPO.2024.0142Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional surveyHelen Jarvis0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5039-0228Charlotte Berry1Jonathan Worsfold2Vanessa Hebditch3Stephen Ryder4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9649-4444Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UKBritish Liver Trust Policy and Public affairs Officer, Venta Court, Winchester, UKBritish Liver Trust Director of Service Delivery, Venta Court, Winchester, UKBritish Liver Trust Director of Communications and Policy, Venta Court, Winchester, UKNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UKBackground: Liver disease is an increasing cause of premature mortality. Early detection of liver disease in primary care gives opportunity to intervene and change outcomes. Engagement in liver disease care by NHS bodies responsible for primary care pathway development could drive improvements. The formation of integrated care systems (ICS) in England provides an opportunity to reassess engagement with liver disease nationally. Aim: To update the level of engagement with community chronic liver disease management among ICSs and health authorities across the UK. Design & setting: A cross-sectional follow-up survey to ICS and UK health boards. Method: Questions used for a previous survey in 2020 were adapted and sent electronically to NHS bodies responsible for health care across the UK, using a freedom of information request. Quantitative analysis was undertaken using Microsoft Excel. Results: There were 67 responses from 68 possible ICS and health board areas, representing 99% UK coverage. Twenty-seven per cent had a named individual responsible for liver disease. Monitoring of local liver disease health statistics happened in 34% of all UK areas. Comprehensive care pathways were available in n = 24/67 (36%) of areas, an increase from 26% in the 2020 survey. Areas with no liver pathways in place fell from 58% to 36% between the two surveys. Regional variations persist, with Wales and Scotland moving towards comprehensive coverage. Almost double the number of areas were making use of transient elastography within community pathways of care, up from 25% to 46%. Conclusion: The results of this re-survey highlight improvements, but emphasise the need to build on regional success to further reduce inequality in care commissioning.https://bjgpopen.org/content/9/1/BJGPO.2024.0142liver diseasesquality assurancediagnosisprimary health care
spellingShingle Helen Jarvis
Charlotte Berry
Jonathan Worsfold
Vanessa Hebditch
Stephen Ryder
Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey
BJGP Open
liver diseases
quality assurance
diagnosis
primary health care
title Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey
title_full Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey
title_fullStr Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey
title_full_unstemmed Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey
title_short Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: a follow-up cross-sectional survey
title_sort increasing engagement with liver disease management across the uk a follow up cross sectional survey
topic liver diseases
quality assurance
diagnosis
primary health care
url https://bjgpopen.org/content/9/1/BJGPO.2024.0142
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