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The Gilead Fellowship and Medical Grants Programme (GFP) is a medical grants funding stream that funds innovative projects and initiatives which can ultimately lead to an improvement in the diagnosis, linkage to care and/or management of viral hepatitis, with a focus on Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV). Overall, the Programme has funded nearly 350 projects since 2008.

The 2023 Programme is now open and accepting applications until 15th September.

This year, Gilead are inviting applications from healthcare (e.g., clinicians, nurses, pharmacists) or allied (e.g., clinical researchers, laboratory technicians) professionals. Applications from charities or patient advocacy groups supporting those living with viral hepatitis (particularly HCV and HDV) are also welcome. Please note:

• The Programme will support proposals that implement and evaluate new initiatives focused on improving patient care in populations either marginalised and/or currently underserved
• Priority will be given to those projects that have not already had a proof of concept in a similar region/area
• Gilead particularly welcome any project that demonstrates replicable and scalable potential

Projects that fall outside of this scope, but which will add clinical value, or which investigate an area of unmet need in the field of HDV can also be submitted.

Please note that Gilead will not accept any applications which generate specific patient clinical outcomes, either classified as interventional or non-interventional studies. In addition, Gilead will not consider proposals that solely request viral hepatitis screening costs (including test kits) or proposals that request viral hepatitis study drugs. Proposals that include generating data on Gilead products will also be out of scope of the GFP.

The application window will close on Friday 15th September 2023. For more information, please visit the Gilead UK and Ireland website here

Should you have any questions regarding the process, application form, or the eligibility of your project, please email gileadfellowship@axon-com.com .

There are a number of opportunities coming up for members to serve on the BASL or BLTG committees so please get involved and help to shape the future of BASL.

BASL Committee Posts:

BASL Secretary Elect - elected by the membership and will serve for one year as Secretary Elect and for up to two years as Secretary.
The Secretary is one of three principal officers of the Association (President, Treasurer and Secretary) and is responsible for the annual Scientific Meeting, working with the Secretariat. The post holder will shadow the BASL Secretary from October 2023, taking up the role of Secretary at the end of the Business Meeting of the Association in September 2024.
NB: The President, Secretary and Treasurer post holders must have different Institutional affiliation within the UK.

BASL Education & Training Committee Councillor – elected by the membership and will serve for a period of up to four years and can be re-elected once.
There are two Educational and Training Councillor’s on the Governing Board and members elect one new Councillor every two years. The post holders are responsible for educational tasks as defined by the Governing Board, such as running the BASL School of Hepatology and Introduction to Hepatology Day and development of a mentoring scheme. The post holder will take up the role in September 2023.
Read more about this post here:  Download BASL Committee Education Training Councillor_role description 0623.pdf
NB: the above post shall be registered with Companies House in the UK as a Director of BASL and registered with the Charities Commission as a Trustee.

BASL Surgical Representative – elected by the membership and will serve for a period of up to three years and can be re-elected once.
The post holder will have an advisory role on the BASL Committee and take up the role in September 2023.

BLTG Committee Posts

BLTG Secretary - elected by the BASL BLTG membership and will serve for a period of up to three years and can be re-elected once.
The Secretary is one of three principal officers (BLTG Chair, BLTG secretary and BASL Treasurer) of the British Liver Transplant Group. The post holder will have a key role in the planning and organisation of the BLTG annual meeting as well as other training and educational events. This is an exciting role for a motivated person keen to help the BLTG to deliver on its commitment to improve education on, the management of, and the quality of research into, liver transplantation. The post holder will take up the role in September 2023.

Transplant Surgery Representative – elected by the BASL BLTG membership and will serve for a period of up to three years and can be re-elected once.
The post holder may also be nominated to sit on the BASL Committee as surgical representative in an advisory role if the role is unfilled. The surgical representative has an important role in helping the BLTG foster closer working with the British Transplant Society and in ensuring BLTG represents all professional interests in liver transplantation whilst promoting strategic and academic development in liver transplantation. The post holder will take up the role in September 2023.

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 BASL or BLTG committees to help to shape the future of BASL and increase our inclusivity/inclusiveness.

Nomination Process

Please send your nominations, clearly stating the committee; BASL or BLTG and the position that your nomination is for, to the Secretariat at judy@basl.org.uk  by the deadline of 23:59hrs Monday 10th July 2023.

Candidates wishing to be considered for nomination must be a member of BASL and will require one BASL member to propose them and a second BASL member to confirm their suitability for the role in writing. (Proposing and seconding of candidates can be done by email.)

If more than one candidate is nominated for a particular post the Secretariat will arrange for an election of all members. Should an election need to take place the Secretariat will contact the candidates and request a personal statement. The statement should contain no more than 300 words and permission will be requested to share the personal statements with the BASL membership. (Personal statements are intended for this purpose only.)

The successful candidate will be elected by a simple majority of those members voting.

Newly elected committee members will be announced at the next Business Meeting of the Association that is being held during the BASL Annual Meeting in Brighton on Friday 22nd September, and join the respective committees thereafter.

If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to contact judy@basl.org.uk .

We look forward to hearing from you.

BASL are inviting applications from members for this important role on the Governing Board. The successful applicant will be expected to attend and contribute to the 2 face-to-face and 2 web-based committee meetings each year, and to the work of the committee for BASL. The post is an elected one for a period of up to three years.

An outline of the role follows for which the following attributes are preferred:
1. Good working knowledge of Twitter and other social media platforms is desirable.
2. Good communication, organisational and team leading skills are essential and can be developed over time.

A full role description can be downloaded below:
Download BASL Communications and Website Lead Role Description_2023.pdf

In addition to their role on the Governing Board, the post holder will work closely with the officers, committee, working groups and secretariat to promote BASL events, newsletter content and other communications relevant to the membership, improve our social media presence and use social media effectively to raise the profile of our association. They will work with the BASL Secretariat on any website upgrades and with developing the BASL members’ portal.

This role is a significant one for BASL and allows the postholder to be influential in the development of our association, and engages with the whole membership.

The postholder should find it enjoyable and fulfilling.

NB: the post holder will be registered with Companies House in the UK as a Director of BASL and registered with the Charities Commission as a Trustee.

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 BASL committee to help to shape the future of BASL and increase our inclusivity/inclusiveness.

Nomination Process
Nominations for the post of Communications and Website lead need to be sent to the BASL Secretariat at judy@basl.org.uk by the deadline of 09:00hrs on Monday 24th April 2023.

Candidates wishing to be considered for this post require one BASL member to propose them and a second BASL member to confirm their suitability for the role in writing (via email).

If more than one candidate is nominated, the Secretariat will arrange for an election of all members. The successful candidate will be elected by simple majority of those members voting.

A personal statement, containing no more than 300 words, will be required from the candidate following a successful nomination. The candidates personal statement will be shared with the BASL membership should an election need to take place. (Personal statements are intended for this purpose only.)

If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to contact judy@basl.org.uk or rebecca.jones36@nhs.net. 

Best wishes
BASL Committee

Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) Publishes Health Inequalities Position Statement - February 2023. 

To read the Statement on the OHA website please click > Here .  

The document outlines the key evidence on the relationship between excess weight and inequalities in health outcomes for a range of different socio-economic groups. Furthermore, it explores the policy recommendations that represent the most viable first step to close these inequalities.

The document brings together a consensus on this issue from all of the members of the Obesity Health Alliance, representing over 50 of the leading health charities, campaign groups and medical royal colleges in the UK.

After the original NCEPOD Report into the care of patients dying with alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) published in 2013, a survey conducted by NCEPOD has re-evaluated the problems highlighted in the initial Report. This focused on the detection and management of alcohol dependent patients as well as those admitted with alcohol-related liver disease.

The survey Report – ‘Remeasuring the Units’ was published by NCEPOD on 15th December 2022 and highlights where there is further work to be done. It shows that the majority of hospitals still do not have Alcohol Care Teams, that the use of the BASL/BSG Care Bundle needs to be in routine use more widely, and that in over a quarter of Trusts patients with decompensated cirrhosis are not routinely under the care of a gastroenterologist or hepatologist.

For the full Report please click on the link > Here .