Sandra’s national role to combat effects of alcohol
8:47am Friday 22nd February 2013 in News
A BOLTON nurse has helped to design a national plan to reduce avoidable cases of liver disease — as it is revealed that the majority are alcohol- induced.
Sandra Crompton, a liver nurse specialist at the Royal Bolton Hospital, was one of just 15 nurses from around the country and four from the North West who helped to design the national liver competency framework for nurses.
The aim of the document is to try to cut the cases of preventable liver disease, caused by alcohol, obesity and Hepatitis B and C.
Ms Crompton said it will help to educate more nurses about liver disease and ensure that patients get the best care.
She said alcohol caused 85 per cent of cases of liver disease seen at the Royal Bolton Hospital, and, in the North West, most cases of liver disease are linked to alcohol.
But, Ms Crompton added that Bolton had a head start on the rest of the country because it is one of only a few trusts that already has a liver specialist.
She said: “In the North West, if you have liver disease, you are most likely to have it because of alcohol.
“The majority of cases of liver disease are avoidable, but there is always going to be a small number of people who develop it through no fault of their own.” The framework recommends working towards early identification of liver disease and better prevention.
It also includes recommendations for more nurse training, regardless of whether they work directly with liver disease, to improve care.
Ms Crompton added: “We are looking at supporting all the nurses who have come into contact with people with liver diseases, either in the community or in the hospital.
“We want to make sure that all nurses have the skills to manage the patients with chronic liver disease.
“A lot more patients are coming in with liver disease and it is about making sure they get the right care and that they are identified as having liver disease.”
Ms Crompton said it had been a privilege working on the document.
