Teenagers liver transition clinic

What is the teenagers transition clinic?

The teenagers transition clinic has been set up to ensure that you, as an individual, are prepared for the transfer of your care to adult services. This information is designed to guide you through the process and point you in the right direction in order to access help and support, when needed.

What is transition?

Transition is a planned process that enables young people to move from the care of the children’s (‘paediatric’) hospital, to the care given by the adult hospital. Transfer is the final part in this process where care is passed over to the adult services.

Hepatology (liver) transition team at Sheffield Children’s

• Dr. Nedelkopoulou – Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Dr. Schluckebier – Locum Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Rhona Hubbard – Gastroenterology and Hepatology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Adult hepatology team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

• Dr. Salmon – Consultant Hepatologist
• Lisa Clemitt Shaw – Hepatology Nurse Specialist

How often do transition clinics occur?

The liver transition clinic runs twice a year when the adult team will also be present (around November and July time each year). This is held at Sheffield Children’s. You will be invited to attend this clinic when you are around 16 years of age. You will usually already have started the transition process prior to this by spending some time in clinic talking to your paediatric liver nurse about adult services.

Your paediatric consultant and liver nurse will be present at this transition appointment along with the adult liver consultant and nurse from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH). This appointment is an opportunity for you and your family to meet the adult liver team who will be taking over your care, and for you to ask them any questions that you may have.

Following the appointment at Sheffield Children’s you will then be offered your first appointment at Royal Hallamshire Hospital (part of STH) in a transition clinic. At this transition appointment you will see the adult liver consultant and nurse from STH and your liver nurse from Sheffield Children’s. After this appointment all of your future appointments will then be with the adult liver team at STH. The adult liver team in Sheffield cover both the Northern General Hospital and The Royal Hallamshire Hospital. Inpatient liver care and most outpatient appointments with the adult liver team will be at the Northern General Hospital although liver clinics (including the transition clinic) also run at the Royal Hallamshire.

What if I would like my liver care to be transferred to an adult hospital outside Sheffield?

If you would prefer that your adult liver care be transferred to somewhere other than STH (for example to a hospital more local to you) then we are very happy to discuss this with you. We would still like to talk to you in clinic about adult services and then your paediatric liver consultant will write and refer you to your chosen hospital for adult services.

What happens if I have a flare up of symptoms between appointments?

Until you have had your first appointment at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital (or chosen adult hospital), you should contact the gastroenterology and hepatology nurses at the Sheffield Children’s for further advice or prescriptions on the number below. Once you have had your first appointment at the adult hospital, if you have any future questions please contact the adult team instead.

Outpatients clinics once you have been transferred

You will have attended Sheffield Children’s regularly for outpatient clinic appointments. Once you are transferred to adult services, the adult team will want to continue to monitor your liver regularly.

At STH, clinics will take place in the outpatients department at the adult hospital and you may be seen by a specialist nurse or by a consultant. If you are unable to attend an appointment it is important that you contact the appointments team to re-book this.