Written question WQ98416
- Asked by
- Russell GeorgeIndependent
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 6 days
Question
What steps is the Welsh Government taking to improve the identification and surveillance of high-risk populations for liver cancer?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
The Welsh Government’s approach to improving cancer outcomes is set out in the Quality Statement for Cancer, which guides NHS planning of services. This is underpinned by national optimal pathways for different cancer types, including liver cancer.
We expect the NHS in Wales to deliver care in line with standards from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which recommends surveillance of people with liver cirrhosis every six months. This should be offered to all eligible people as part of routine clinical care unless they are on an end-of-life care pathway.
The NHS in Wales has also taken action to support the detection of liver disease, through the introduction of additional capacity for delivering transient elastography testing, alcohol care teams in secondary care, a liver blood test pathway for primary care, online educational resources for healthcare professionals, and case finding approaches for hepatitis C.