Hepatology
![Hepatology](/media/images/versions/img94joktmu72256.jpg)
Hepatology is the study and management of conditions related to the liver.
We provide both acute inpatient and outpatient care for a wide range of conditions affecting the liver and are a tertiary referral centre for hospitals across north-east London. Our team encompasses a range of professions, including consultants, junior doctors, specialist nurses, pharmacists and radiologists and we are part of the wider gastroenterology department at the Centre for Digestive Diseases.
There are a wide range of conditions which affect the liver and patients can present with a spectrum of symptoms, but some patients with chronic liver disease can also be asymptomatic.
We have a number of specialists with different areas of expertise, and are committed to improving patient care and outcomes through active research which is undertaken in collaboration with the Grahame Hayton Unit. With close links to Queen Mary University of London and Barts and the London Medical school, we contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate training of doctors and scientists.
Liver disease can be present without any symptoms for many years. We want to diagnose liver disease as early as possible to give people with liver disease the best chance of recovery. It is estimated that over 2,000,000 people are living with liver disease, making it the fifth largest cause of death in the country.
The community liver health van enables clinical staff to offer a simple non-invasive test to people aged 35-70 who may be at increased risk of liver disease, based on their medical history. Visitors can expect to receive a simple and quick non-invasive test, called a fibro scan, from a trained nurse. This test looks for any liver inflammation or scarring and is completely painless.
Liver disease has no symptoms in the early stages, and as 90% of liver disease is preventable, it is really valuable for people to get an early diagnosis and benefit from specialist treatments that may not be effective at a later stage. Early screening also helps people make conscious lifestyle changes to improve their liver function and overall health.
Those aged between 35 and 70 with one or more of the following eligibility criteria are encouraged to come along.
If you feel that any of these risk factors apply to you, we would love to see you at one of our screening events.
Date |
Borough |
Site address |
Session Type |
08 May 2024 |
Tower Hamlets |
TBC?? (City) |
Drop in |
09 May 2024 |
Waltham Forest |
TBC? (Waltham Forest) |
Drop in |
06 June 2024 |
Tower Hamlets |
Acorn House, 116-118 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JN |
Drop in |
12 June 2024 |
Hackney |
Dalston Market, Hackney Ridley Road, London, E8 2NP |
Drop in |
13 June 2024 |
Hackney |
Dalston Market, Hackney Ridley Road, London, E8 2NP |
Drop in |
27 June 2024 |
Waltham Forest |
CGL Waltham forest, 1 Beulah Rd, London E17 9LG |
Drop in |
24 July 2024 |
Tower Hamlets |
RLH Courtyard, Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1FR |
Drop in |
25 July 2024 |
Tower Hamlets |
RLH Courtyard, Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1FR |
Drop in |
07 August 2024 |
Hackney |
Dalston Market, Hackney Ridley Road, London, E8 2NP |
Drop in |
08 August 2024 |
Hackney |
Dalston Market, Hackney Ridley Road, London, E8 2NP |
Drop in |
04 September 2024 |
Newham |
TBC? (Newham) |
Drop in |
05 September 2024 |
Newham |
TBC? (Newham) |
Drop in |
12 September 2024 |
Waltham Forest |
CGL Waltham forest, 1 Beulah Rd, London E17 9LG |
Drop in |
30 October 2024 |
Newham |
TBC? (Newham) |
Drop in |
31 October 2024 |
Newham |
TBC? (Newham) |
Drop in |
27 November 2024 |
Hackney |
Dalston Market, Hackney Ridley Road, London, E8 2NP |
Drop in |
28 November 2024 |
Hackney |
Dalston Market, Hackney Ridley Road, London, E8 2NP |
Drop in |
15 January 2025 |
Tower Hamlets |
RLH Courtyard, Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1FR |
Drop in |
16 January 2025 |
Tower Hamlets |
RLH Courtyard, Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1FR |
Drop in |
12 March 2025 |
Tower Hamlets |
Sainsburys, Whitechapel, 3 Brady St, London E1 5DL |
Drop in |
13 March 2025 |
Tower Hamlets |
Sainsburys, Whitechapel, 3 Brady St, London E1 5DL |
Drop in |
26 March 2025 |
Havering and Redbridge |
TBC? (Havering and Redbridge) |
Drop in |
27 March 2025 |
Havering and Redbridge |
TBC? (Havering and Redbridge) |
Drop in |
Contact us at bartshealth.communityliverhealth@nhs.net to learn more about the availability of the event.
Liver disease can present with a variety of symptoms including:
Importantly, however, some patients with chronic liver disease can remain asymptomatic for many years and may only present with the complications of chronic liver disease, which is often too late to offer any meaningful therapeutic intervention.
If you think you have a liver problem, it is important to see your GP for an initial assessment, and they can refer you to our service if clinically indicated.
Our main hospital is The Royal London Hospital, but we have outpatient clinics at Newham Hospital, Whipps Cross Hospital and we take referrals from across north-east London.
If you are not registered with our service and you think you need to be seen by a member of our team, you should ask your GP to refer you to the hepatology department at your nearest hospital.
If you are already known with our service and need to get in touch with an enquiry/change an appointment, please contact our team.
We accept referrals from across Barts Health for inpatient and outpatient work, and across north-east London. If you have a patient you believe would be eligible for our service, please email us.
We run weekly MDTs on:
If you would like to refer a patient to one of our MDTs, please email bartshealth.hepatology.services@nhs.net for further information.
For inpatient advice regarding hepatology matters, please contact the hepatology registrar on bleep 1270, Monday-Friday, 8.30am-5pm.
Out-of-hours cover for emergency matters is available via switch (non-resident). There is a named hepatology consultant on call every week.
The NHS is committed to eliminating hepatitis C as a major public health issue in England, ahead of the World Health Organization's goal to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
Achieving this ambition is crucial. If left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to life-threatening conditions like liver cancer or liver failure. While significant progress is being made to reduce the number of people with hepatitis C, more needs to be done to prevent new infections and reinfections.
Many people across England may have hepatitis C without knowing. Sharing toothbrushes, getting tattoos abroad, having unprotected sexual intercourse and injecting drugs are just some of the ways people can contract hepatitis C. To reach our goal of eliminating hepatitis C we need to get more people testing.
If you are over the age of 18 and live in England, can now order a free and confidential home test for hepatitis C via the NHS. This is an at-home, self-sample test taking a few drops of blood from your finger. If found positive for hepatitis C, you can be treated and cured.
We have a strong track record for leading and taking part in clinical studies and collaborating with other liver centres across the UK and abroad. Our aim is to further develop our medical understanding of liver disease and to ensure our patients have access to new treatments and the latest therapies for the management of liver disease.
We also work closely with a dedicated team of scientists undertaking laboratory research. This has resulted in our research being published in high-impact peer reviewed journals.
We have a wide range of clinical studies currently open – particuarly for patients with Hepatitis B and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We run these clinical trials from the Grahame Hayton Unit the The Royal London Hospital.
If you would like to find out more about taking part in research, please speak to your doctor or nurse and ask whether there is a clinical trial that you may be eligible for.