Pharmacists play bigger role in helping manage liver patients
Specialist pharmacists are well placed to support liver specialists managing patients with Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB).
A review of their role in north-west London found a pharmacist-led clinic a safe and practical service helped free up hepatology (liver) consultants time to focus on patients with more complex needs.
The initial one-year pilot was promoted by the lingering effects of the pandemic which saw delays in appointments for CHB patients and, in 2023, a 35% breach in service targets for patients requiring monitoring of antiviral therapy.
As a result, patients were booked into the pharmacist-led clinic to better manage tdemand and capacity issues within the hepatology service.
Aya Al-Hasani, Senior Specialist Pharmacist for Hepatology, said: “We see patients once every six months. The challenge of liver disease is that it is ‘silent’ and there are no obviously outward signs of illness until the point of cirrhosis.
"My job is ensuring that patients on antiviral treatment have an undetectable viral load. This indicates that the medication is working, therefore preventing liver damage.
"Pharmacists are ideally placed to support medication adherence with antivirals, prevent liver disease progression and viral resistance.”
Additional interventions included lifestyle advice, liver cancer screening and checking for co-infections such as HIV, Hep D and Hep C.
Patients are also signposted to organisations like the British Liver Trust for further support in the community.