Promoting a better standard of care for hepatology patients

I have worked within hepatology for almost 20 years and am passionate about enhancing the care of hepatology patients. Currently I am working in North Bristol NHS Trust, at Southmead Hospital. I have helped set up the hepatology nursing service in both this trust and in my previous trust.

My role as the Hepatology Clinical Nurse Specialist requires practice that is informed by high levels of judgement, decision-making and discretion. I am involved with all aspects of hepatology, assessing, planning and caring for acute, chronic and palliative hepatology patients, in the outpatient setting.

I aim to provide a better standard of care for patients who are often marginalised by their disease process and symptoms—to offer support and palliation to hepatocellular cancer and decompensated liver patients and their carers, and function as a patient advocate to negotiate and mediate to work with the system to ensure optimum care for patients.

A key aspect of my role is to smooth the patients' experience of living with chronic illness, particularly when they reach the end of their life. I am a point of contact for patients and accessible by telephone for patients and relatives, clinical teams in and out of the hospital, palliative care services and GPs. I provide specialist nursing advice and support to patients, their families and carers from the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment and follow-up phases of treatment and care, ensuring an optimum level of service to patients and their carers.