The Hepatology team comprises a team of nurses, supported by the clinical leads for hepatology who meet the nursing needs and the clinical management plans of patients with liver disease.
The teamwork in collaboration with the multi-Disciplinary team which includes the acute inpatient service, GPs, dietician, radiology, drug and alcohol services and palliative care team to ensure joint decision making and the best care for service users.
All care provided is evidence based and the team have regular training and development to maintain continue professional development.
The team is available Monday to Friday 8am-5pm. We do clinics both face to face and telephone reviews across the sites at ELHT, Burnley, Blackburn, Rossendale and Pendle (from August 2023). The team also provide a fibroscan service and a nurse led paracentesis clinic. There is also a clinic outreach clinic held each week for individuals with viral hepatitis who cannot attend the hospital due to vulnerability. Please note we are not an emergency service, if you require medical attention, please consultant your GP or emergency care providers. We aim to answer any enquires within 5 working days
The conditions the team manage include:
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Virology-hepatitis B and C
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Autoimmune conditions- Autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis
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Alcohol related liver disease
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Non-alcohol fatty liver disease
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Hemochromatosis
Meet the team
Helen is an experienced Nurse who can diagnose and provide treatment plans for patients. She is a prescriber with extensive clinical skills in hepatology. She completes the paracentesis clinic which are held twice weekly at BGH and outpatients’ clinics across the sites at ELHT for patients with decompensated liver disease. She works closely with the transplant centre and other members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure individualised care. She is supported clinically by the consultants.
Helen is also a practice teacher and provides educational support for the team and the other services to ensure collaborative working. She also is a qualified health visitor and children nurse which influences her commitment to public health by managing liver disease with lifestyle and early intervention. She also has a special interest in transition to adult hepatology services for young people from paediatric care.
Loretta is completing a 2-year training programme to become an advanced practitioner. Her experience accounts for a hepatis C nurse specialist, district nurse and a staff nurse on the Infusion Suite managing a range of specialities including hepatology.
Loretta is busy developing new skill and completes clinics with the support of the consultants and ANP. Loretta also allocates time on the acute wards for collaborative care. She has a passion for advanced care planning and supporting patient with chronic life limiting conditions.
Anita has a wealth of experience in hepatology, she is the lead clinician for hepatitis C. She provides treatment for viral hepatitis C within the hospital and home environment. This is achieved by providing outreach contact with a mobile clinic and clinics in the drug and alcohol services. This ensures patients who would not get treatment due to being vulnerable or hard to reach receive treatment to eradicate hepatitis C.
She also provides clinics for all liver disease patients in the hospital clinics
Anita also manages the day to day running of the team.
Anita has previous experience from endoscopy which she implements and shares with the team.
Chloe joined the team in August 2022, she has previously worked as a District Nurse, she brings a wealth of experience to the team. She is knowledgeable on chronic disease management, wound care and caring for people in their own homes.
Chloe is developing her skills in hepatology and completing a competency framework in liver disease under the supervision of the senior nurses.
Sharon has been a hepatology nurse for many years, she was the hepatitis C senior nurse before she retired and returned. Sharon now works part time completing clinics for compensated liver disease.
She has a wealth of knowledge in all condition relating to liver disease, including virology, autoimmune, genetics and lifestyle. She provides teaching and assessment of competencies to all team members.
Sharon has previous experience as an orthopaedic nurse and prison nurse.
Christine was an advanced nurse practitioner and matron before her retirement. She has returned to work part time and provides specialist nursing care on the clinical outreach van to hard reach individuals in manging hepatitis C.
Christine is a prescriber and attends the ODN to contribute to the treatment plans of patients.
Leanne is the newest member of the team. She manages the fibroscan clinics with the support of the nurses. Leanne also provides care to the patients attending the clinical outreach service.
Leanne previous experience accounts for being a veterinary nurse.
Roisin is the team secretary who provides a friendly and helpful voice at the end of the telephone to service users. She provides all the clerical duties for the team, including managing clinic lists, referral letters and letters to patients. Roisin supports all the nurses in the administrative duties.