On Friday 11th April, our Chief Executive Pamela Healy visited Worthing Hospital to meet with senior leadership and frontline clinicians delivering vital liver services in the region. The visit was part of our ongoing work to champion prevention, early diagnosis and equitable access to liver care across the UK.
Pamela was joined by Dr Beccy Cooper MP, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Liver Disease and Liver Cancer, and local MP for Worthing West. Together, they explored how local services are tackling the growing burden of liver disease and supporting communities that may be underserved by traditional healthcare pathways.
The day began with a welcome from Hospital Director Stephen Mardlin and Chief of Service Stephen Kriese, who is himself a gastroenterologist and strong advocate for liver services.
Pamela and Dr Cooper were then invited to visit the hospital’s community hepatology van, which is a vital outreach initiative that brings liver health checks directly to people at higher risk of liver disease. Samantha Readhead, Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist for Hepatology, discussed the importance of prevention and surveillance in liver health. She highlighted her team’s outreach efforts to engage individuals who are less likely to access traditional healthcare services, offering hepatitis testing and support. Samantha also spoke about their involvement in the NHS England Liver Health Check Pilot, which is an initiative that delivers mobile liver scans to detect early signs of liver cancer, with the goal of improving outcomes through earlier diagnosis and intervention.
Back at the hospital, Dr Sam Thompson, Consultant Hepatologist, outlined how recent investment, including funding for two new Clinical Nurse Specialists and peer navigators through the Cancer Alliance, is strengthening their capacity to deliver proactive and personalised liver care.
The visit concluded with a roundtable discussion involving clinicians and public health colleagues, to reflect on local successes and ongoing challenges. Topics included liver surveillance strategies using Fibroscan, streamlined referral pathways, the role of addiction services, and the hospital’s plans to introduce opt-out testing for blood-borne viruses in the emergency department, building on the successful model already in place at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
Pamela described the visit as “hugely insightful” and praised the team at Worthing for their energy and innovation. “It’s clear that collaborative, community-focused care is making a real impact here,” she said. “These visits are incredibly valuable, they not only inform our policy work but help us share good practice across the country.”
Dr Cooper MP was also impressed and voiced her continued commitment to raising awareness in Parliament. “It was fantastic to see firsthand the dedicated work happening at Worthing Hospital to tackle liver disease and support our local communities. The team’s commitment to prevention, early diagnosis and outreach to underserved groups is exactly the kind of innovation we need to see more of.”
As the NHS looks ahead to its upcoming 10-year plan, the British Liver Trust will continue to highlight the importance of liver disease prevention, investment in specialist services and ensuring that effective pilots become permanent features of care.
We extend our thanks to the team at Worthing Hospital for their time, transparency and outstanding commitment to liver health.
