Nurse-led helpline

Our helpline solely relies on donations. Due to the cost-of-living crisis, we are receiving more calls than ever.

If you are able to help us to be there for more people please consider a donation.

Donate now

Meet the team

We are all qualified nurses who have specialised in liver disease. We have all worked previously in the NHS, in a variety of settings, from gastroenterology, liver cancer, viral hepatitis and liver transplant. We provide vital support to help family members and carers to navigate their way through medical appointments and provide support to help them deal with their diagnosis.

Faye

"I really enjoy working for the British Liver Trust and being able to support callers and their families when there is a concern about liver disease. I find it very rewarding that I am able to give callers time to explain their situation and offer guidance."

Lindsay

"Working for the British Liver Trust has given me the opportunity to support callers and their families across the spectrum of liver disease. The role enables me to support and educate callers and most importantly, empower them to advocate for their care."

Kirsty

"I thoroughly enjoy my role as Deputy Nurse Manager for the British Liver Trust. I enjoy being able to take the time to listen and to support patients and their families from all across the UK in all aspects of liver disease."

Kim

"I love this role. It’s very different from my past roles. You never know what you're going to be asked, but people are always so grateful to be able to speak to someone."

Supporting you throughout your journey

Being diagnosed with any disease is a confusing and worrying time for anyone, but with over 200 liver conditions, it is difficult for patients and family members to get the answers to the questions about their specific diagnosis. We support over 3,000 people each year with a range of conditions, often calling us more than once supporting throughout their diagnosis or situation.

Testimonials

Sadly, Phil passed away in December 2024 and our thoughts are with his friends and family.

Phil was a much-loved and respected supporter of the British Liver Trust. He described his terminal cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis in 2020 as “like being hit by a steam train.” Despite this, he and his wife Jannette courageously chose to take each day as it came. After calling the Trust’s nurse-led helpline, Phil described the nurses as “five-star angels” and kindly recorded a video about his experience to help raise awareness of liver cancer and the support we offer.

Phil’s warm and generous personality, along with the twinkle in his eye, left a lasting impression on everyone who met or spoke to him. His support meant so much to the British Liver Trust, and he will be deeply missed.

"I was really struggling to obtain support and clarification from my GPs with regard to my liver problem and I truly felt totally alone worried frustrated and overwhelmed by my situation. After talking things through with Rebecca, I was able to approach my GPs Surgery and ask for the relevant follow up to tests that should be done now a liver disease has been diagnosed, I feel empowered and hopeful because of the nurses, by way of going forward with tests and any treatment that I may need." - Lisa

"I want you to say how impressed I am with your Helpline. I originally spoke to Rebecca who was very helpful and informative. She then put me on to speak to Jill who was also very knowledgeable at answering my questions. Kirsty too is great on the phone. Thank you for this service it is invaluable." - Fiona

"I rang you in despair, crying; I was in a terrible place and I was heartbroken! Lindsay was the most understanding, caring and knowledgeable person I needed right there and then. She listened, sympathetically without judgement and helped me so much. To focus, to understand and get my head round this horrible disease, clearly and concisely... Lindsay gave me all her time to explain and would answer my questions, over and over again which made me feel calmer and more in control. For this, I cannot thank the helpline and Lindsay (and Kirsty) enough!" - Anonymous

"Thank you so very much for speaking with me this afternoon. I am so grateful for your kindness, empathy and guidance. I really do appreciate it as I start the next part of my liver ‘journey’. The links you have sent me are very useful and informative. I will certainly take on board what we discussed regarding my employer. Thank you once again and keep up the fabulous work and service you provide. You were amazing! " - Anonymous

"I just wanted to give a huge thanks to one of the amazing liver nurses from the helpline who I spoke to today for calming me down after having some devastating news about my husband's liver disease... Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who understands how hard it is dealing with the fall out of fatty liver disease... Thank you so much for listening and for talking to me yesterday." - Anonymous

"I've phoned on a couple of occasions. Absolutely great, informative, calming, so friendly and reassuring at times when was needed. Tremendous help. Thanks British Liver Trust nurses, and everyone behind the scenes." - Anonymous

Other ways we can help

In addition to the helpline we have a number of other support services:

Frequently asked questions

What happens when I call the helpline?

One of our expert liver nurses will answer the phone, introduce themselves and ask about your situation
We're here to listen to you, on your terms - so you can start wherever you want and share as much as you wish
Our nurses will take some notes, just to make it easier if you call again. These will always be kept confidential
If needed, the nurse may email you with follow-up information and links to resources after the call or arrange for information to be sent in the post
If you call again and have more questions, the nurses can sometimes arrange for a call back if needed

What are the expert nurses able to discuss with me?

We're hear for you, and can listen and talk to you about many aspects of liver health, liver disease, and liver cancer. Here are a few of the common subjects we cover:

I'm worried about my own, or a loved one's, liver health. What should I do?
What are the tests for liver disease?
How do I manage my symptoms, where should I start?
How can I make the most of my next appointment?
Are there other treatment options?
Are there any clinical trials that I can be involved with?
How do I support a loved one who has been diagnosed, while also looking after myself?

Is there anything you can't talk about?

The information provided by our nurse-led helpline is not a substitute for your own healthcare provider who has access to your medical notes, and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. If you have worrying symptoms or you feel unwell you should consult your doctor.

We are not able to diagnose any conditions, or interpret blood test results. But we can help you to understand your diagnosis and what the often complex terminology means. We are also not able to offer an opinion on particular hospitals, but we can advise you about questions you can ask to help you make the most of your appointments.

Please be aware that the helpline is not an emergency number and cannot give medical advice. If you have a specific medical enquiry please call 111, or in case of emergency call 999.

We will not tolerate inappropriate, abusive or threatening behaviour towards our nurse team and if this happens, we will end the call and block abusive callers from using our service.

Is there an answerphone? Do you offer calls back?

Yes, you can leave a message and we will call you back within two working days.

I’m not able to get in touch via phone, are there other options?

Yes, you can email us at any time at helpline@britishlivertrust.org.uk. Emails are answered during the helpline operating hours of 9am - 3pm Monday and 9am -4pm Tuesday - Friday (excluding bank holidays).

What happens to my personal details? Are the calls recorded?

All personal details are kept securely and will never be shared with anyone. For more information read our privacy policy.

Helpline calls are subject to monitoring by our Nurse Manager and on occasion calls will be recorded. We do this to train staff and to monitor and evaluate the service.

Do you charge for this service?

No, our nurse-led helpline is completely free and you will not be charged for any calls made from within the UK. As a charity, we are not a part of the NHS and do not receive NHS funding. We rely on donations to run our helpline service. If you wish to make a donation you can do so here.

Do you accept calls from outside of the UK?

Yes, we can take calls from outside of the UK, but only to answer general information requests about liver disease and liver cancer. We are unable to offer advice about non-UK healthcare. Please note that calls from outside of the UK may incur a fee from your network provider. We are unable to offer call backs to non-UK numbers.

Can I leave feedback?

We welcome your feedback, it's important to help us improve our service. You can leave feedback here.

Please note

Aggressive or abusive Behaviour
We understand that people can become angry when they feel that matters about which they feel strongly are not being dealt with as they wish. However, if that anger escalates into aggression towards our helpline nurses, we consider that unacceptable. Any aggression, abuse, or inappropriate behaviour directed towards our staff may result in callers being blocked from the helpline service.

Interpreting liver test results
Our helpline nurses are unable to interpret liver blood tests or imaging test results. It is important you speak to your own doctor or nurse about this, but we can provide guidance on what these tests involve, their purpose, and what they can tell you about your liver health.

Demand for the helpline is currently very high and there are only ever 2 to 3 nurses working to cover the whole UK.

If you are able to help us to be there for more people please consider a donation.

Donate now