The City of Wolverhampton Council has been working with Recovery Near You and the Service User Involvement Team to host a series of Fibro-scan clinics, bringing non-invasive liver health screening directly into the local community.
Fibro-scans are a quick, painless test similar to an ultrasound which check for scarring and fat build up in the liver. These are early indicators of conditions such as fatty liver, fibrosis, or cirrhosis. Results are provided instantly, with healthcare professionals on hand to explain findings and offer advice on next steps.
Launched in 2024, the clinics take place in a wide variety of community locations, businesses and within faith settings, helping break down barriers to accessing treatment services and enabling residents to take control of their liver health.
Around 2,000 Fibro-scans have so far been completed, with over 200 people referred for further investigation or direct access for support, ensuring timely support to help halt or reverse any risk of alcohol related liver disease.
The council is currently exploring proposals to purchase an additional Fibro-scan machine and expand workforce capacity to scale up the reach and impact of scanning across community settings.
And the success of the programme has been recognised after it was shortlisted in the Public and Population Health category at this year’s LGC Awards, which celebrate excellence across local government.
Meanwhile, the council has also been selected by the Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team (PHIRST) to undertake an evaluation of its Fibro-scan programme. PHIRST provides timely, high quality, and accessible evaluations of public health interventions, helping to strengthen the evidence base and inform future commissioning and service delivery.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “The community Fibro-scan clinics are a fantastic example of how we are working with partners to bring healthcare into familiar, welcoming spaces.
“Early liver damage often presents no symptoms, and the clinics have proved highly effective in engaging people who would not typically interact with health and treatment services.
“By teaming up with Recovery Near You and the Service User Improvement Team, and working alongside lived experience volunteers, businesses and community organisations, we’re helping to bridge the gap between the number of people needing alcohol support and those receiving it.
“We have seen the impact it has had locally, with hundreds of people referred for support to improve their liver health so far, and I am very proud that the work of everyone involved was showcased at the LGC Awards.
“To be selected by PHIRST is also a significant achievement, as PHIRST operates only 2 calls for research proposals per year and selection is highly competitive, so this also reflects very well on the team delivering our Fibro-scan programme.”
