The Scottish government via the Chief Scientist's office has a structure to support NHS research across Scotland, this is primarily focused on making Scotland attractive for commercial pharmaceutical research and approved research funders. This is organised into research networks and speciality groups.
NHS Research Scotland (NRS) Hepatology Specialty Group
Our role is to support the delivery of high quality clinical research in Hepatology and manage participant recruitment to time and target, both for Hepatology studies which are led from Scotland, and studies led from other nations which Scottish sites are participating in. The group is also determine to cross outside its statutory remit to work with the SSG, academics and NHS clinicians across Scotland to develop hepatology research in all its forms. We provide support in the following areas:
• Managing the study portfolio record
• Monitoring the attainment of recruitment targets
• Providing advice on study design and feasibility
• Troubleshooting issues with poor recruitment
• Sharing information on new studies
• Identifying potential sites for studies
• Facilitating access to resource to support research, for example through Clinical Research Facility (CRF) Research Nurses.
Liver disease is the fifth most common cause of death in the UK. Research carried out in this specialty aims to detect liver disease earlier and develop and evaluate new therapies.
Hepatology Studies
The Hepatology Specialty Group oversees research that deals with the diagnosis and management of patients with diseases of the liver, biliary tree, and pancreas. Topics of Hepatology research include:
• Acute and chronic liver disease including liver failure
• The impact of identifying, screening and treating viral hepatitis
• Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis
• Normal and abnormal liver metabolism
• Genetic studies including pharmacongenetics
• Biomarkers
• Hepatotoxicity
• Treatment of portal hypertension
Annual Hepatology Research Day
For further information on the Specialty Group or information on upcoming events, please contact jillianstrachan@nhs.net
Patient, carer and public information
NHS Research Scotland is committed to actively involving patients, those who care for them and the public in all aspects of the research process, including shaping future research activity. Read more
Key Contacts
Specialty Lead: Professor John Dillon
• j.f.dillon@dundee.ac.uk
Performance Manager: Sarah Kennedy
• sarah.kennedy17@nhs.net
http://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/hepatology
The Scottish Society of Gastroenterology and The British Liver Trust Survey of Liver Services in Scotland
The Scottish Society of Gastronenterology and The British Liver Trust commissioned a survey on the provision of secondary care services for patients with liver disease in Scotland in 2013.
The results demonstrate that liver services in Scotland have many strengths but also a few weaknesses and are perhaps best described as patchy, with gaps only partially compensated by informal networks of cooperation.
Survey of Liver Services in Scotland
Patient Survey - British Liver Trust
Please see the below survey results from the Patient Survey.