New technology revolutionising liver care in Dorset

Liver health care across Dorset is to be revolutionised thanks to the arrival of a new charity-funded portable liver scanner at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH).

Bournemouth Hospital Charity has purchased the new ‘Fibroscan’ portable liver scanner with the support of Christchurch Rotary Club which will enable liver nurses to provide out-reach community clinics across Dorset every week.

The new device will operate alongside an existing static scanner at RBH.

Hazel Allen, consultant nurse, said: “This is a revolutionary piece of kit that we’re very lucky to have been able to buy. We can now take this portable scanner across the county to scan patients in their own communities, because our service covers the whole of Dorset.

“Fibroscan is a non-invasive way of seeing if someone has advanced liver damage. It can take a reading from a liver and check whether there is any scarring by assessing how stiff the liver is.

“If patients show signs of advanced liver damage, we can act quickly to bring them under our care and look after their liver. And even if they don’t have advanced disease, it’s at least a tool to start that process.”

Richard Reader, president of Christchurch Rotary Club, said: “One of the main concerns of our club is to support our local communities. We spoke to Bournemouth Hospital Charity about their needs for extra equipment – specifically the portable liver scanner – and felt this was exactly the sort of project we were keen to support as it will provide medical benefits to local people.”