As the NHS accelerates its community health checks programme, access to life-saving liver scans is expanding.
The mobile unit currently moves the length and width of England and offers quick, painless liver checks in everyday environments such as GP surgery, supermarkets and even soccer fields.
Over the past two years, the number of mobile liver scan teams has almost doubled, increasing from 11 to 20.
These roaming units are now available in all parts of the UK, making early detection of liver disease and cancer more accessible than ever.
Professor Peter Johnson, director of NHS National Cancer, emphasized the importance of the initiative. “Reaching out the community and making it easier for people to check can make treatments much more likely and save lives.
“The programme has introduced many more people for important further testing, and with the support from the NHS, they have been able to receive important treatment sooner and more important, along with the support they need to lead a healthier life.
“This is a great example of health services’ focus on prevention, as stated in our 10-year health plan.”
The increasing need for liver cancer checks
Liver cancer is currently the fastest-growing cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for around 85% of cases.
As numbers continue to grow, the NHS is focusing on detecting cancer earlier through innovative programs like these mobile liver scans.
How a liver scan saves your life
The mobile team performs fibroscan, a rapid, non-invasive liver scan that detects cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis.
These conditions significantly increase the risk of developing liver cancer. If damage is detected, the patient is referred for further hospital examinations and placed in a liver cancer surveillance program if necessary. Previous detection of cancer significantly improves the possibility of effective treatment.
Since the initiative began, around 113,000 have been screened and nearly 8,500 have been featured for emergency follow-up checks. Those found at low risk are still receiving personalized advice and will be returned to the GP for support if necessary.
Reaching a risky community
Liver scan programs are designed to reach people at higher risk, although they may not normally seek medical assistance.
These include people with high alcohol intake, history of viral hepatitis, or non-alcoholic liver disease.
The NHS team has brought mobile scan vehicles to GP surgery, diabetes clinics, food banks, homeless shelters and recovery services.
To make testing as convenient as possible, some areas park scan units outside supermarkets, at soccer games and at work.
The NHS works closely with local charities and community groups to ensure that vulnerable groups are identified and supported.
In certain areas, peer support workers with experience with liver disease also help patients attend important appointments.
Pamela Healy O’s, CEO of the British Lever Trust, added: “We are pleased to have worked closely with NHS England on this program.
“Live cancer often develops quietly, and many people are diagnosed only at stages where treatment options are limited.
“We know that the biggest risk factor is pre-existing cirrhosis, so it’s very important to detect liver disease beforehand. It’s important that these checks continue to reach more people across the community.”
Improvement of cancer diagnosis criteria
The rollout of community liver health checks also supports the NHS’ wider ambitions to speed up cancer diagnosis.
Recent figures show that 76.8% of patients (more than 218,000 cancers had been ruled out or diagnosed within 28 days, showing the best performance in June since faster diagnostic criteria were introduced. More than 53,000 patients also began cancer treatment within a month.
By collecting liver scans directly into the community, the NHS is helping thousands of people avoid late diagnosis and begin treatment as soon as possible.
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