Liver disease competence framework launched

Published: 14 February 2013

The RCN has collaborated with NHS Liver Care on a joint publication which aims to tackle the increasing number of deaths from liver disease. This is now the UK’s fifth biggest killer and a major cause of premature death, with sufferers dying far younger than patients with heart disease or stroke. The three main causes of liver disease are alcohol, viral hepatitis and obesity, all of which are preventable.

Caring for People with Liver Disease: a Competence Framework is aimed at all nursing staff working in all clinical settings across primary, secondary and tertiary care. It recognises that nursing staff have a key role in health promotion and aims to empower them to identify the signs and risk factors of liver disease, make brief interventions and signpost patients to support services.

The framework also supports staff to build their levels of competence throughout their career trajectories, and the competences described are cross-referenced to the NHS Knowledge Skills Framework to help to embed the framework in practice.

Co-author Dr Kim Manley, an expert in patient-centred care, called the publication “a powerful step towards developing person-centred workplace cultures in which everyone can flourish”.

Caring for People with Liver Disease: a Competence Framework is available at on the RCN website at www.rcn.org.uk/publications