Mortality rates for liver disease have increased 400% in a generation. One in three of the population is at risk of liver damage leading to liver cancer; obesity, alcohol and other lifestyle factors impact on the liver, and along with the difficulty of spotting symptoms early, lead to 75% of patients being diagnosed in hospital, when treatment options are limited or too late. Liver disease is the third biggest killer of people in working age, with 62,000 years of working life lost every year.

Liver disease can go undetected for years and cause major damage, as symptoms are hard to diagnose. The liver can often repair itself if damage is caught early. Finding liver disease earlier needs GPs and practice nurses to proactively look for it. We will work in partnership to build a strong evidence base for early detection; create clear processes for identifying and treating patients at risk; and seek to ensure every region has a clear testing and treatment pathway – to save lives.