On Tuesday 3rd June, MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Liver Disease and Liver Cancer visited the Royal Free Hospital to tour its world-renowned liver unit, meet clinicians, and hear first-hand how NHS services are responding to the UK’s growing liver disease and liver cancer crisis. The visit aimed to inform the APPG’s parliamentary work on improving early diagnosis, prevention, and tackling the deep health inequalities linked to liver disease.
Attending the visit were APPG officers Dr Beccy Cooper MP and Lorraine Beavers MP, alongside Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust. They were welcomed by British Liver Trust trustee Professor Doug Thorburn, Consultant Hepatologist and senior leaders from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust which runs the Royal Free Hospital.
During the visit, MPs were able to find out more about the services used to treat and care for patients with liver disease and liver cancer. The visit not only reinforced the essential role these services play in tackling liver disease, but also shone a light on the dedication and excellence of the staff delivering this care every day.
Dr Beccy Cooper, MP for Worthing West and Co-Chair of the APPG, said: “Today, we saw first-hand the pressure that liver services are under, alongside the innovation and dedication of staff delivering lifesaving care every single day.
“Liver disease is largely preventable, yet far too many people are still being diagnosed too late, often in emergency settings. Tackling the root causes and addressing the deep inequalities in care that underpin this crisis, must be a national priority.”
Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood and Vice-Chair of the APPG, said: “Liver disease is a silent epidemic that affects some of our most deprived communities. What we’ve seen today reinforces how urgent it is to expand access to dedicated liver services and make sure people can get the care they need before it’s too late.
We must also break down the stigma surrounding liver disease. No one should feel judged or be put off seeking help.”
As part of the visit, the MPs met with Philip Warner, a liver cancer patient currently participating in a clinical trial at the Royal Free Hospital. Hearing directly from someone undergoing cutting-edge treatment highlighted the vital role that clinical trials and research play in driving forward improvements in outcomes for people with liver cancer.
The MPs are part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Liver Disease and Liver Cancer, which focuses on tackling the UK’s rising liver disease burden – which disproportionately affects deprived communities and is often diagnosed too late. Today’s visit aimed to deepen understanding of the challenges faced by NHS liver teams and to support cross-party parliamentary action on liver cancer, disease prevention, and health inequalities.
Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive at the British Liver Trust said: “I’m delighted to be at the Royal Free Hospital today to share the excellent work of the liver unit. This visit highlights not only the excellence in care provided by the Royal Free Hospital, but also the growing demand on liver services nationally. As we continue to see record numbers of liver disease cases, it’s clear we need urgent action to improve early detection and expanding access to specialist liver services.”
