Liver disease is a silent killer as many people will have no symptoms until there is irreversible liver damage. Diagnosing liver disease early is important because the liver can often recover with simple lifestyle changes.

Northenden Group Practice have been working in partnership with Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester University to run liver health checks at our Gatley branch surgery between April – August 2024. Unfortunately, we are no longer processing any further referrals.

Who can have a liver health check?

We are looking for individuals who have risk factors associated with liver disease.

Risk factors may include:

• Previous abnormal liver tests
• A fatty liver found on an ultrasound scan.
• Diabetes
• Higher than recommended alcohol intake
• A body mass index greater than 30 kg/m² in the past two years

We are inviting people who have been identified as having two or more possible risk factors for developing liver disease to have an assessment of your liver health.

What does the liver health check involve? 

At the assessment, you would be offered:

• Blood tests
• A liver scan

Recommendations for attending clinic:

• You would need to be able to fast for 3 hours prior to the appointment as otherwise this can affect the results of the liver scan.
• The appointment would take approximately 30 minutes.

About the liver research study

Alongside the liver health checks we are running a study aimed to better understand liver diseases. You do not have to participate in the study to have a liver health check.

By participating in the study, you become a crucial part of the journey towards discovering new therapies that can potentially revolutionise the way we approach liver health.

What do I do next? 

• If you have been invited and you would like to have an assessment, then please complete the contact form
• If you haven’t been invited but would like to know more information about your liver health you can book in for a NHS Health Check by contacting the practice

Thursday 27th June 2024

Wednesday 3rd July 2024

Wednesday 10th July 2024

Thursday 11th July 2024

Wednesday 17th July 2024

Thursday 18th July 2024

If you have any other questions about the study or are interested in finding more about liver disease research, you can:

4. 1. Visit Our Website: www.sites.manchester.ac.uk/ID-LIVER/

       2. Contact Us: email us at ID.LIVER@mft.nhs.uk or call us at 0161 291 5354.

Risk factors for liver disease may include:

• Previous abnormal liver tests
• A fatty liver found on an ultrasound scan.
• Diabetes
• Higher than recommended alcohol intake
• A body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2 in the past two years

Resources

If you want to find out more about liver disease and liver health, please visit British Liver Trust website: https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/

Confidentiality and Ethics

Your privacy is our priority. All information collected during the study will be kept strictly confidential. Our research follows ethical guidelines, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.

Join Us in the Fight Against Liver Disease!

By joining our clinical study, you play a vital role in advancing medical research and improving the lives of those affected by liver disease. Your commitment can make a lasting impact. Together, let’s work towards a healthier future.

Our specially trained nurses provide travel health advice, immunisations and vaccinations.

To book into the travel clinic:

Please contact reception and ask for a pre-travel questionnaire to be sent to you – the link to complete this can be sent via SMS text message. If you aren’t able to complete this form online using your mobile, please pop into the surgery and ask for a paper copy at the the front desk.

​Once this form has been completed, reception staff will then book you a 20 minute appointment.

Sufficient time between your appointment and travel is necessary, as some vaccinations require more that one dose. Please make sure that your appointment is at least 8 weeks before travel. If there is not sufficient time between your appointment and travel your vaccinations may not be able to be completed.

NORTHENDEN GROUP PRACTICE
Benzodiazepines
Northenden Group Practice has taken the decision not to prescribe benzodiazepines
including diazepam for fear of flying, dental appointments, and scans.
Northenden Group Practice has taken the decision not to write letters for pregnant patients
wishing to fly.
APPLICABILITY
This has been a medical decision due to safety for the following reasons:
1) Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an
emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and
react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around
you.
2) Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is unnatural
non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This
can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the
lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if
your flight is greater than 4 hours.
3) Whilst most people find benzodiazepines like diazepam sedating, a small number have
paradoxical agitation and in aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to
behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as
that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.
4) According to the BNF (prescribing guidelines) benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not
allowed) in phobia. Your doctor is taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these
guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the
case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going
on a flight.
5) Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in several countries. They may be confiscated, or
you may find yourself in trouble with the police.
6) Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to
random drug testing, you may fail this having taken diazepam.
We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is
to tackle this properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines. You may also alert
your cabin crew at the beginning of your flight.
If patients require sedation for any hospital medical appointments e.g., scans or dental
appointment it is the responsibility of the service providing the care to do sedation as
required.
Northenden Group Practice
Dated: September 2023

You can self-refer to the smoking cessation clinic including advice and guidance on electronic cigarettes at Wythenshawe Hospital by calling 0161 291 5030.

To find an NHS Stop Smoking Service near you:

Call Smokefree on 0300 123 1044

(Weekdays 9am-8pm. Weekends 11am-5pm)
http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree

Further information on NHS live well

Alternatively, appointments are available at the surgery to help patients quit smoking.

​If you are interested in stopping smoking, please contact the surgery and book a 20 minute appointment with one of our practice nurses.

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a smoking review, please complete our Smoking Review form.

We run specialist clinics for diabetic patients, baby wellbeing and immunisation and cardiology.

Your doctor or nurse may want to measure your blood pressure regularly by using a home blood pressure monitor. This is to make sure that your medicines or lifestyle changes are helping to bring your blood pressure down.

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit your blood pressure readings on a regular basis, please complete our Blood Pressure Review form.

Also, you may want to measure your blood pressure yourself at home for your own records.

This can be very useful, for a number of reasons:

• It can give a picture of what your blood pressure is like as you go about your daily life.
• You can see if your blood pressure is higher in the clinic than it is at home.
• You can see how well your medicines and lifestyle changes are working for you​.

Many people find that using a home blood pressure monitor to track their blood pressure helps them feel more in control of their condition. Home monitoring can also give your doctor or nurse a more complete picture of what your blood pressure is like from day to day.

We offer free NHS health checks and are proud to be the leader in this service in Manchester.

This is a basic health check which includes:

• BMI
• Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Blood pressure
• Pulse rate
• Other lifestyle advice

For more information, please visit our NHS Health Checks information page. You are only eligible for one health check every five years.