New Lambeth community liver service could save lives

People living in Lambeth can get faster, potentially life-changing liver scans closer to where they live thanks to a new pilot scheme. Guy’s and St Thomas’ Liver Care Service is offering people with signs of liver disease a quick and convenient scan, known as a Fibroscan, without the need to wait for a hospital appointment.

Faster access to scans for patients and reduced pressure on hospitals

This 12-month project enables people to be seen faster at the Akerman Medical Practice near Oval. Guy’s and St Thomas’ are working in partnership with the Lambeth GP Federation to provide this service. The aim is to reduce waiting times for patients and relieve pressure on hospital services. Around 130 patients have been seen by the service since it began. The service also provides ongoing support, through phone calls and text messages, to around 80 patients.

Liver disease in the UK and the benefits of early detection and treatment

Fibroscans are a type of ultrasound that checks whether there is any liver damage or scarring (fibrosis and cirrhosis). In the UK at least 2 million people are affected by more than 100 types of liver disease.

Over time severe liver damage and scarring can lead to liver failure, which is a life-threatening condition. But early treatment may give the liver time to heal. This could include making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, which can help with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Alcohol-related liver disease may improve when people stop drinking alcohol.

Jasmine Pollard-Romain, 55, a lecturer and carer from Vauxhall, is diabetic and has had high blood pressure since 2019. In March 2024, she had a procedure which revealed that she had an enlarged liver and gallstones. Jasmine’s GP followed up with a liver function test which showed abnormally high readings. She was referred to the Liver Care Service for a Fibroscan in January 2025.

Jasmine said: “I felt reassured and [the scan] put my mind at ease. Even though the thickness of my liver was good, some of my levels was high. [The nurse said] this could be counteracted just by continuing to stay healthy. We had a whole discussion about good eating practices and the importance of exercise, and ways in which you can help to keep your liver healthy.

“It’s helped me to make real, positive life choices. I think it’s life-changing. It’s definitely changed my life, that’s the truth of the matter. Because it sits nicely with everything else that I’m having, and my regular checks.
“Sometimes when you have to go to hospital that can be daunting, and just the travel. Having this facility that was local to me, I think it was a 15 minute drive, which was brilliant.”

Following a Fibroscan, patients’ results are analysed by a multi-disciplinary team made up of liver specialists from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and a Lambeth GP. It is estimated that around half of patients can have their follow-up appointments in a community setting rather than at St Thomas’.

Jonathan Presky, a clinical nurse specialist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ who carries out the scans at the GP surgery, said: “The aim is to try to catch people and to identify problems before they become bigger problems. You can be seen very quickly.

“If there aren’t any problems we can say, ‘Don’t worry about it’. But if there is, we can move things along quicker.

“As we manage to reduce the waiting list at Guy’s and St Thomas’ we should be able to get people who need to see a specialist more thoroughly to come to hospital sooner.”

Benefits from partnership working

Terry Wong, consultant hepatologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the project lead, said: “For many patients being able to access this service in a GP practice is much more convenient.

“It also means that we can work in partnership with GP colleagues to make a real difference, as we detect, intervene and improve the liver health of the local population.”

The Trust hopes to expand the service to cover the whole of Lambeth. The Fibroscan and staff who support the service have been provided through funding from Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity.