Will the Minister confirm where the facilities to treat liver disease are in NHS Wales?
The Welsh Government does not directly hold data relating to incidence of liver disease however, there is data on the Annual PEDW Data Tables - Digital Health and Care Wales (nhs.wales) published by DHCW. The table ‘primary diagnosis summary by LHB residence’ shows data broken for each health board in Wales. The table shows admissions and finished consultant episodes where ‘diseases of the liver’ was the primary diagnosis. Please search the code K70-K77 to find ‘diseases of the liver’.
More specific data is also available on request from DHCW at PDIT.requests@wales.nhs.uk.
Our approach in Wales continues to focus on preventing liver disease, promoting early diagnosis and improving care for affected people. By addressing the main risk factors (alcohol, obesity and blood borne hepatitis) that contribute to liver disease, our aim is to reduce the number of people who are at risk of developing liver disease.
Where liver disease is detected, we want to ensure that people are referred for specialist treatment as early as possible and are supported to manage their condition and reduce the risk of their disease progressing.
Treatment is managed between primary and secondary care depending on the stage of their liver disease and specialist services are provided from all six health boards within acute hospital settings. Powys Teaching Health Board commissions its services from a range of providers including from English NHS trusts.
More complex care is provided by two health boards (Cardiff and the Vale and Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards) although liver surgery has been centralised to Cardiff. The Cardiff Liver Unit, led by Mr. Nagappan Kumar, provides emergency and elective care for all liver surgical problems, including liver trauma, liver tumours, bile duct tumours, bile duct injury, benign and malignant conditions of the Gallbladder.
Liver transplants are not undertaken in Wales, but established relationships are in place with transplant centres in England.