Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help raise awareness of liver disease.

Awareness of liver disease can be raised by providing information to the public and by supporting health and care professionals to discuss liver disease with their patients. The NHS.UK website provides the public with essential information on types of liver disease, their possible causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/liver-disease/

In May 2022, the Department published guidance for health and care professionals on promoting awareness of liver disease in professional practice. Further information on this guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health#promoting-awareness-of-liver-disease-in-your-professional-practice

Furthermore, the United Kingdom’s clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment, published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities for consultation in October 2023, contain clinical guidance and advice for professionals on the early identification of liver disease among people with alcohol use disorders, and on the treatment of alcohol use disorders in people diagnosed with liver disease. Further information on the guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health

The Department is currently reviewing these guidelines following a consultation.