Consultant Hepatologist leads team to win National liver award
A collaborative team that was created to offer holistic care to patients with advanced chronic liver disease, has won a prestigious award.
Dr Claire Grant, Consultant Hepatologist, created an Advanced Cirrhosis Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) which meets fortnightly to review referred patients who have advanced cirrhosis, a life-threatening condition that results from scarring of the liver.
The team, which is built of colleagues who offer expertise from different medical specialties and allied health professions, work together to decide on treatment pathways and referrals for other needs including palliative care and alcohol dependency support. They work with GP surgeries to keep them updated with patient progress and prognosis while developing patient resources and educational sessions, linking in with local alcohol support groups.
Dr Andrew Austin, Consultant Hepatologist, praised Dr Grant's drive and commitment to develop the MDT.
He said: "As the volume of in-patients with advanced chronic liver disease has increased over recent years, it had become clear that we needed a new approach to deliver better care in the last years of life. Dr Grant has led the team with drive and commitment in developing an MDT that can better co-ordinate appropriate care for these patients."
The innovative work has had a significant impact on patients and led to the team winning the top prize in the annual Dr Falk UK/ British Association for the Study of the Liver /British Liver Trust Awards. Dr Grant received the 2024 Quality and Service Improvement in Hepatology Award on behalf of the UHDB team for their project, ‘The development of an Advanced Cirrhosis service at UHDB.’
The Award, which includes financial support for the project, was presented to Dr Grant, by Dr Tim Cross, President of British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL), at a ceremony at the BASL Annual Meeting in Harrogate on October 10.
Dr Grant said the work of the team can also be shared with other Trusts to help reduce the inequality of provision of care nationally for patients dying of cirrhosis.
Dr Grant said: "This has encouraged the team as a whole to reflect on the progress we have made so far in providing support to this complex patient group at the end of their lives, as well as helping to highlight the work of the team to our wider Trust. It has been extremely rewarding to find new ways to provide practical support, which makes a huge difference for patients and carers
"For me personally, it has galvanised my enthusiasm for continuing to develop the service and ensure we are delivering the same level of provision to all patients across the communities we serve."
The Quality and Service Improvement in Hepatology Award, recognises projects already started or completed within the previous three years which have already resulted in service improvement benefits.
This is the second year of the awards which are dedicated to encouraging innovation and promoting patient care in the field of hepatology.
Dr Tim Cross, President of the BASL, said: "Sadly, the rates of liver disease continue to rise in the UK. The awards committee and I were struck by the hard work and dedication that stood out from the winners’ submissions and for the real impact their work was having on the lives of patients."