FOI 2026/1732

Please could you help me by providing, where possible, the answer to the following 6 questions.

1. Please could you tell me, within any local Liver Disease pathway, does the ICB currently have a dedicated strategy, policy or work programme relating to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) or Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH)? If so, please confirm whether this is (a) in place, (b) in development, or (c) not in place, and provide copies of any relevant documents
2. Please could you tell me, is liver disease (including Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease or Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis) referenced as a priority condition in the ICB’s integrated care strategy or joint forward plan? If so, please provide the relevant excerpts
3. Please could you tell me, does the ICB have a locally agreed primary care pathway, protocol or clinical guideline for the assessment and management of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) or Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH)? Please confirm whether this is (a) in place, (b) in development, or (c) not in place, and if in place, please provide a copy of the most recent version
4. Please could you tell me, do any Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) within the ICB offer liver fibrosis diagnostics? Please confirm which CDCs provide these services and specify the tests available, including transient elastography (FibroScan), the FIB-4 index, and the enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) blood test
5. Please could you tell me, has the ICB carried out any assessment, review or analysis of specialist hepatology workforce capacity and demand within the last two years? Please confirm whether this is (a) completed, (b) in progress, or (c) not undertaken, and if completed, please provide copies of any reports, briefing papers, or presentations that set out the findings
6. Please could you tell me, has the ICB made any plans, business cases or budget provisions in anticipation of the forthcoming NICE guideline ‘Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)’ (GID-NG10434)? Please confirm whether planning is (a) in place, (b) in development, or (c) not yet undertaken, and if in place, please provide copies of any related planning documents, meeting papers, or financial schedules

1. Not in place.
2. There is no explicit reference to liver disease in the ICB 5 Year Strategic Commissioning Plan.
3. Not in place.
4. Bolton CDC offers Fibroscan and Leigh CDC are due to start delivering Fibroscan later this year.

NHS Greater Manchester do not have blood test activity plans broken down into type of test at system level to be able to provide details regarding provision of FIB4 or ELF.

To assist you please find below links to the NHS Trusts below, should you wish to contact them directly for further information.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of information – Bolton NHS FT (boltonft.nhs.uk)

Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information Requests :: Northern Care Alliance

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information – Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (mft.nhs.uk)

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of information – Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information Requests :: Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care (tamesideandglossopicft.nhs.uk)

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – WWL Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | FOI Disclosure Log

5. Not undertaken.
6. Not yet undertaken.