Test will help thousands

THIS NHS Tayside team is the first to develop an automated investigation algorithm to maximise early diagnosis of liver-related diseases.

Abnormal Liver function tests are common and can indicate serious underlying liver disease. The Intelligent Liver Function Testing algorithm provides clinicians with a likely underlying diagnosis and management plan at an early stage.

Deaths from liver disease continue to rise – especially in the under-65 population – and this innovation has real potential to save lives. Early diagnosis and more timely intervention and management ultimately means a much more cost effective service.

It improves access to care, particularly for the most vulnerable groups living with addictions such as alcoholism.

Liver disease is on the increase, so this has the potential for widespread benefit to patients across NHS Scotland.

This work also demonstrates networking of clinical services, including the development of a GP pathway. It provides an example of high-quality integration across primary and secondary care, delivering many of the principles and aspirations of Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Delivery Plan and Realistic Medicine.

This excellent initiative also aligns strongly with the six principles of the Scottish Access Collaborative (SAC), launched in November 2017, to help shape and prioritise the way services are provided in the future.

The principles state: Patients should not have to travel unless there is clear clinical benefit; All referrals into secondary care should have senior or protocol-led vetting; Referral pathways should be clear and published for all to see; Systems need clearly defined access to diagnostic services; Referral systems need to understand the balance between demand and capacity, and link this to unscheduled care; Improve metrics of the system, especially of remote access and advice pathway.

The team’s work has already benefited 2500 patients across NHS Tayside.