Frimley, UK, 2015-Feb-27
The British Liver Trust has warned of the mounting costs of liver disease on society following the launch of the Love Your Liver campaign to promote early screening and raise awareness of liver disease. The charity believes that a more effective liver screening programme, along with government support including minimum pricing on alcohol and a sugar tax, could generate potential savings of £100 million1 from the positive effects on health, crime and employee absenteeism. Last month, the charity began their 2015 campaign by screening MPs at the House of Commons for the disease, and has now moved its focus to screening at businesses, including Siemens plc headquarters in Frimley, Camberley.
Siemens Healthcare http://www.siemens.co.uk/en/insights/liver_disease.htm
is currently the only company to offer an integrated portfolio of diagnostic solutions for managing liver health and is supporting the British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver campaign. This is centred on liver screening of employees at Siemens’ UK headquarters in Frimley, Surrey to promote awareness and early diagnosis. With the help of a Siemens ACUSON S2000 ultrasound system, clinicians will be able to make use of advanced imaging techniques to accurately measure deep tissue and tissue changes.
Liver disease is the third commonest cause of death in the UK of the under 65s, behind heart disease and accidents / suicide. It is estimated that 20% of the population are at risk due to factors including alcohol, obesity and viral hepatitis.1 The British Liver Trust hopes the screening event at Siemens will encourage other employers to hold awareness events and relay the risks of liver disease and wellbeing to staff.
“It’s clear that not enough is currently being done to address the significant rise of liver disease. It is the responsibility of all society to tackle this growing problem, from the government to employers as well as the individual,” explains Andrew Langford, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust. “Mortality rates have increased 400% since 1970, and in people younger than 65 years have risen by almost five times, a very worrying statistic. England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, highlights that 20% of the population is at risk of liver disease – that’s more than 12 million of us at risk of liver disease which means it really is ‘US’ and not ‘THEM’ that need to take stock of our liver health.”
Peter Harrison, Managing Director of Siemens plc Healthcare Division states, “We are committed to the wellbeing of our staff and are also aware there remains a lack of awareness on the topic of liver disease throughout society. We have therefore chosen to partner with the British Liver Trust to offer liver screening to our employees.”
“Our portfolio of tests extends from our Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) blood test through to Ultrasound and MR scanners. Providing clinicians with a range of diagnostic tools is the most effective way to ensure the best diagnosis and ongoing management of liver disease. It’s not just about a blood test or a scan, it’s the resulting impact on the patient pathway. These tests are less invasive and safer than a traditional liver biopsy, and can deliver a much faster result. In addition there is a significant cost saving opportunity. Patients with suspected liver fibrosis could benefit from these tests which can be provided at a fraction of the cost of a liver biopsy. We believe that there is a tremendous opportunity to incorporate these non-invasive tests within liver clinical pathways, and this could realise benefits to clinicians, commissioners and of course the wider population,” continues Peter Harrison.
Andrew Langford adds, “As employers become increasingly responsible for promoting good health, we encourage them to make staff aware that diagnostic tests are available. The ultrasound technique we are using today along with blood tests are unobtrusive and swift. Liver disease can greatly affect an employee’s health and in many cases there are no noticeable symptoms until the liver is badly damaged. We need to ensure awareness is there from the outset, so an early diagnosis can take place and a support, care and treatment plan put into action.”
Staff at Siemens were asked to fill in the Love Your Liver health screener after which those who were deemed at risk were invited to take part in a non-invasive ultrasound scan.
Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimising clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 52,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world www.siemens.co.uk/healthcare.
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1http://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/lancet-leading-experts-call-end-uk-postcode-lottery-liver-disease-treatment-detection/
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About Siemens
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2014, which ended on September 30, 2014, Siemens generated revenue from continuing operations of €71.9 billion and net income of €5.5 billion. At the end of September 2014, the company had around 357,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
