New £1m plan to improve liver disease services in Wales
6 May 2015 09:47 AM
A new national plan to tackle the increasing number of people suffering from liver disease will be backed by £1m of new funding.
Deaths from liver disease in Wales have more than doubled in the past 20 years – the increase is largely due to the rise in obesity, alcohol misuse and blood borne viral hepatitis. However, cases of liver disease as a result of these three causes are almost entirely preventable.
The new Liver Disease Delivery Plan, which was launched yesterday, will be supported by £1m of new Welsh Government funding. An extra £1.377m of annual funding, which is linked to the Blood Borne Viral Hepatitis Action Plan, which came to an end this year, will also continue as part of the liver disease plan.
Wales is the first UK country to respond to The Lancet’s liver campaign with a substantive plan and package of measures to prevent liver disease and improve services for patients.
The delivery plan aims to:
- Provide a more seamless service between the different organisations providing care and treatment to patients;
- Give patients an equal voice in their treatment and encourage people to take greater responsibility for their health;
- Increase expertise in liver disease throughout NHS Wales and encourage clinical leadership among health professionals to improve services and outcomes;
- Drive down the number of people developing liver disease and the number of deaths;
- Improve early detection and outcomes for people with liver disease in Wales.
Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething said:
“Liver disease is increasing in Wales. Some of it is unavoidable but much is a result of how we live our lives. With support and encouragement people can take responsibility for reducing their risk, particularly when it comes to the amount they drink, as alcohol continues to be the biggest cause of liver disease in Wales.
“Our NHS will continue to play its part in treating those who need it but all of us have to take responsibility for the health consequences of our lifestyle choices.
“Where people take control – or use the support on offer to take control of their lifestyles – this plan will ensure the health service will be there for them, identifying those with the early signs of disease, referring them quickly to specialist treatment and improving outcomes for patients.”
The Welsh Government launched the public consultation on the draft Together for Health – Liver Disease Delivery Plan, in November 2014. It is one of a set of national service delivery plans, and sets out how the Welsh Government and NHS Wales will develop and improve services for people with liver disease in Wales.
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