Scarred Liver Project helps detect liver disease earlier
A community liver project in Nottinghamshire is helping to identify chronic liver disease before people develop symptoms or require emergency hospital care.
The Scarred Liver Project uses FibroScan technology to measure liver stiffness and identify fibrosis in people considered at higher risk, including those living with obesity, type 2 diabetes or harmful levels of alcohol use. The scans can be carried out in community settings including GP practices, health centres, libraries, leisure centres and a mobile scanning van.
The project began as a research study and has since become a commissioned NHS service. More than 15,000 people have been tested in Nottinghamshire since 2010, with significant liver disease identified in around 15% to 20% of those screened.
A 2026 national study found that three in four people with chronic liver disease in England were first diagnosed during an emergency hospital admission. The Nottinghamshire approach is designed to identify liver damage earlier through primary care and community testing.
The Scarred Liver Project has recently received an NIHR Team Impact Prize and has been shortlisted for a Parliamentary Pathfinder NHS Innovation Adoption Award. Its approach has also contributed to wider work on non-invasive liver testing and early diagnosis.