WELCOME TO THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF THE LIVER

The scope and remit of liver nurses is diversifying year on year, and we remain constant in the care and management of people with and at risk of liver disease.  The diverse skills that we possess, such as being person centred, collaborative, advocates, solution focused, proactive, and demonstrating emotional intelligence in response to changing needs continue to be showcased by liver nurses locally across all four nations of the UK.

The BLNA are seeking liver nurses with a drive and enthusiasm to be involved on a national level in supporting, educating and demonstrating leadership for the liver nurse community.

The BLNA Committee requires 2 new committee members from April 2026 due to planned demitting, and are now seeking nominations for the following posts:

• 2 x 2-year tenure posts

This is an exciting opportunity for liver nurses to get involved with our friendly committee and share their skills and experience. You will gain experience working collaboratively and strategically at a national level to ensure that the needs of people with or at risk of liver disease and liver nurses are represented at the highest levels in the UK. The BLNA are key participants in several workstreams including the UK Liver Alliance, IQILs refresh, BSG liver section, BASL X-tra, RCN competence framework etc.

Expectations of committee members:

To attend monthly committee meetings held via Zoom, these take place usually on either the first or second Monday of each month; 13:00-14:30pm for full committee meetings or 12:30-13:30pm for interim committee meetings, these alternate each month

To attend the BLNA annual meeting and at least 1 face to face committee meeting each year.  The planning, organisation and delivery of the BLNA annual meeting is a fundamental element of our responsibilities.

To attend additional meetings and complete associated workload necessary to the BLNA workstreams mentioned above.

To contribute to the review of abstract submissions for the BLNA annual meeting.

To contribute to the judging of applications for national awards recognising excellence and innovation in Hepatology.

To contribute to the planning and delivery BASL / BLNA webinars.

To provide content for the BLNA newsletter.

To contribute to articles related to liver nursing for publication in professional journals.

Please read some of the testimonials from BLNA members who have joined the committee:  Download BLNA_Committee_Testimonials2026.pdf

If you are interested in joining the BLNA Committee, you must be a registered nurse with an interest in liver care and be a BLNA member.

BLNA Committee Member Nomination Process

Candidates wishing to be considered for election require one BLNA member to propose them, and a second BLNA member to confirm their suitability for the role in writing, by email.

Please note to be eligible to nominate, both the proposer and seconder must be a registered nurse and any nomination should include your NMC PIN number.

Email your nominations, including your NMC PIN number, to Judy at the BASL Secretariat at judy@basl.org.uk by the deadline of 23:59hrs on Monday 9th February 2026.

A personal statement, containing no more than approx. 300 words, is requested at the time of nomination from the candidates.  The personal statements will be shared with the BASL BLNA membership should an election take place. (Personal statements are intended for this purpose only.)

If more than 2 candidates are nominated, the BASL Secretariat will arrange for an election of all BLNA members. 2 candidates will be elected by a simple majority of those BASL BLNA members voting.

Important information -

Newly elected BLNA committee members will be required to attend an On-boarding meeting via Zoom on Monday 23rd March from 2-4pm.

Newly elected BLNA Committee members will take over in post from 1st April 2026 and will be expected to be available to join the monthly committee meeting via Zoom which is taking place on Monday 13th April 2026 from 13:00 – 14:30pm.

BLNA Committee “Taster Experience”

Due to the success of a 1 year “taster experience”, the BLNA will be offering this role again for 2026. This role will be to join the BLNA committee on a 1-year term commencing in April 2026.

This “taster experience” would suit a registered nurse who is either under 5 years qualified, or new to the area of liver care, may be working in a ward environment (liver or gastro), or newly appointed liver related CNS. You will receive mentorship and support to assist you to gain insight, experience and develop skills in educational delivery and support for liver nurses; as well as increase your knowledge and understanding of strategic working at a national level.

The dates set out above in the important information also apply to this post.

Application process
To apply for this “taster experience”, please complete the application form below and submit it by email to Judy at the BASL Secretariat at judy@basl.org.uk  by the deadline of 23:59hrs on Monday 9th February 2026. 

Download BLNA_Taster_Experience_Application_Form_2026.pdf

(If you require a word version of the application form please contact admin@basl.org.uk)

The BLNA committee will make a decision based upon the information included in the application form as to a suitable candidate for the 1-year term. 

Dianne Backhouse, BLNA Chair, is happy for members who are interested in joining the committee or applying for the taster experience to contact her if they have any questions, you can reach Dianne at dianne.backhouse@nhs.net or you can speak to one of the BLNA committee members, see the testimonials for members contact email addresses.

BASL is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work. It is actively promoting equal opportunities and access for all our members regardless of their background. We would, therefore, encourage you to consider joining the BLNA committee to help to shape the future of BASL, BLNA and liver nursing in the UK, and increase our inclusivity/inclusiveness.

Organ transplantation saves lives — but it also changes them in profound ways.

We're reaching out on behalf of a dedicated group of patients, carers, clinicians, and psychologists who are advocating for better psychological support for those living with a liver transplant and their families.

Many individuals have shared experiences of anxiety, depression, survivor’s guilt, trauma, and relationship strains during their journey. However, we still lack a complete understanding of these challenges and the emotional support needed.

This survey was initiated by the British Liver Transplant Group (BLTG) and the UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network (UKODTRN) and developed with input from patients, carers, and healthcare professionals, and aims to shed light on the support required for our community.

Please complete the survey honestly: your responses are completely anonymous and will directly inform the development of essential support services.

The results of the survey will be shared through liver-related charities, patient support groups, and on the UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network website.

Take part in the survey > HERE

Survey Deadline: Sunday, 8th February.

This survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

Please consider sharing this link with your liver patient networks to help us reach as many voices as possible. Together, we can make a difference.

Dr Falk Pharma, BASL, British Liver Trust Award Winners 2025
These team awards recognised the need to share excellence in clinical service development and improvements that have clear benefit for people with liver disease.

Innovation Award

Dr William Rowley and team
Project Title: AI-Assisted Streamlining of Hepatobiliary Cancer MDTs to Improve Efficiency and Decision Quality
Read the study summary > Here

Quality & Service Improvement Award

Dr Jay Patel, Anna Lipinska and team
Project Title: The Hepatology/Path-2-Recovery clinic: improving healthcare access for vulnerable adults with alcohol-related liver disease
Read the study summary > Here

Quality & Service Improvement Award
Dr Tamsin Cargill and team
Project Title: Hepatology at home: a novel pathway for the integrated management of patients with liver disease in the home
Read the study summary > Here

(left to right): Maya Vlahovic (Falk Foundation Manager UK/IRE), Dr Tamsin Cargill, Dr Ian Rowe (BASL President), Dr William Rowley, Vanessa Hebditch (Director of Communications and Policy at the British Liver Trust), Dr Jay Patel, Anna Lipinska.