Hepatology Services Birmingham

The Priory Hospital offers private hepatology services in Birmingham, West Midlands and the wider area.

close up of doctors medical equipment and medical model of a liver

The Priory Hospital in Birmingham has had a long association with the famous Liver Transplant Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital^{1 2}. Many of our Consultant Liver Physicians and HPB Surgeons work at the Liver Unit and hold clinics at Priory Hospital. Circle Priory hospital offers unique access to some of the top liver experts in the country.

These Consultants are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of all the many different types of liver disease. This includes fatty liver disease (also known as metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD) and cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, haemochromatosis and primary liver cancers. You can find patient information on many of these conditions at the GUTS UK³ and British Liver Trust websites⁴. The Consultants working in the Regional Liver Unit offer access to the latest medical therapies for liver disorders and cirrhosis, including transplantation for eligible patients.

Circle Priory works alongside the Woodbourne Priory rehabilitation centre and can provide liver assessments for patients having treatment at Woodbourne for addiction related problems, including FibroScan™ examination of the liver. Dr Holt, one of our Liver Consultants⁵. has worked with the British Liver Trust to produce a booklet that (Alcohol-related-liver-disease_web_Apr-2022b.pdf) gives information about treatment of alcohol-related liver disease⁶.

All of our Liver Specialists are experienced in managing less common liver diseases such as haemochromatosis⁷, as well as rare diseases like autoimmune hepatitis, PBC⁸ and conditions such as A1AT deficiency, PSC, Wilsons disease and PSVD.

Our liver clinics provide a range of diagnostic and therapeutic services for individuals with liver problems. These include diagnostic tests, advanced imaging techniques, and tailored treatment plans.

Our laboratories offer enhanced liver fibrosis blood testing (ELF™) which are recommended by NICE for the assessment of fatty liver disease⁹, and we have a state-of-the art FibroScan™ machine¹⁰ that provides VCTE™ & pulse elastography examination of liver tissue to identify the early signs of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Our FibroScan clinic is run by an experienced Hepatology Nurse and offers direct-to-test diagnosis by providing access to FibroScan™ testing without needing to wait for a GP referral. Our team of experienced hepatologists work closely with their patients to deliver effective, evidence-based care¹¹.

With private Hepatology treatment, we can offer personalised care with your choice of Specialist, rapid access to clinics, direct access to secretarial support teams and regular checkups at consultation. Our liver specialists work closely with their team of Consultant Radiologists who are all experts in liver and pancreas imaging techniques.

Because the Birmingham Liver Unit is a national service many of our Specialists have patients who travel to see them from across the country as well as International patients who travel from across the world. We work hard to support patients travelling from Birmingham, the West Midlands or International patients coming for medical and surgical therapy.

For more information, or to book an appointment, you can easily schedule online or if you prefer, we can provide details that will allow you to approach the Consultant’s PA directly for more information about your consultation.

Liver disease affects more than 1:100 people in the UK¹² and early identification of liver problems allows treatment to be started in a timely manner. Medical treatments can often be curative and aim to prevent complications and improve the quality life for individuals suffering from liver disease.

Hepatology is the name of the medical specialty that is responsible for looking after patients with medical conditions affecting the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.UK Hepatologists are Gastroenterology Consultants who subspecialise in liver disease management.

Liver disease can present with many different signs and symptoms:

Cirrhosis: this is often hard to detect at early stages of disease¹³, but it’s important to recognise as it requires specialist monitoring and management. Patient outcomes in cirrhosis have improved a lot over the last 20 years with advances in disease management and modern medical therapy. Sometimes cirrhosis is picked up on routine ultrasound scans.
Jaundice: Yellowing of skin/eyes due to excess bilirubin. This is caused by liver diseases (e.g., cirrhosis, hepatitis), haemolytic anaemia, or biliary obstruction. It is always a serious development and requires urgent assessment.
Ascites: Fluid can build up in the abdomen and is formed by the liver becoming hardened by cirrhosis, but it can also occur in heart failure and kidney disease.
Fatigue: This is a very common sign of early liver disease. It affects conditions like autoimmune or viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis due to liver dysfunction.
Hepatic Encephalopathy: This rather alarming symptom is produced by toxins that are normally filtered by the liver. The toxin levels build up and affect brain function. There are better treatments for this disorder nowadays, but encephalopathy always mandates an urgent assessment by a liver specialist as it indicates an advanced stage of liver damage.
Varices¹⁴: Increased pressure in the portal vein, often due to cirrhosis or liver damage, leads to complications like varices – enlarged and thin-walled veins in the oesophagus or stomach. FibroScan™ can provide a predictive test, but if the varices are not identified with Endoscopic examination they may burst. Liver Specialists use medicines or endoscopic techniques to destroy varices and prevent bleeding.
Primary liver cancer. Patients with cirrhosis are more likely to develop liver cancer (HCC). At an early stage there are curative options to treat liver cancer and the outcomes from treatment are very good, but it is important that patients have regular assessment of their liver markers and imaging to allow early cancer to be detected. This is one of the functions that a liver specialist provides for their patient.

At the Priory Hospital in Birmingham, we provide expert hepatology care. Whether you're seeking treatment for liver diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or fatty liver disease, our experienced hepatologists and multidisciplinary team are here to support you through every step of your treatment journey.

The Priory Hospital in Birmingham is the Midland’s largest private hospital and offers clinics run by consultant hepatologists who can expertly assess and evaluate your liver health. Several of our consultants work in the Liver Transplant Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and they all use FibroScan™ to assess their patient’s liver problems.

For more information visit FibroScan™ liver health testing.

The Priory Hospital has a long and respected history in the heart of Birmingham, with deep roots in the local community. Our hospital has become a trusted healthcare provider, offering high-quality care for both routine and complex medical conditions. We’ve built strong relationships with local healthcare professionals, ensuring that our patients have access to the best possible care.