A one-stop clinic has opened at the Royal Free Hospital to swiftly diagnose one of the fastest growing killers in the country.

The clinic, at the Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre in the Hampstead hospital, will allow experts to test, diagnose and treat patients with jaundice, a symptom of liver disease.

Liver disease is the fifth biggest killer in the UK and on the increase. The clinic will allow experts to identify the root cause on one site within 24 hours.

Consultant physician Dr Douglas Thorburn, who will run the clinic with three other doctors, said: “It is extremely important for patients with jaundice to identify where the source of the problem lies.

“For some patients, the underlying cause of jaundice can be easily treated but for others it can be a sign of something more serious, such as a tumour in the liver or pancreas.

“We expect patient referrals from GPs all over north London and further afield.”