Relaunched Managing JIA in School booklet

booklet imageOn World Arthritis Day, JIA-at-NRAS relaunched their Managing JIA in School booklet. The update provides information on all aspects of education and is a useful resource for parents, teachers and for the child themselves. There is more information about how to inform the school about your child’s JIA, individual health care plan, tips for teachers and children and how to manage flares in school.

There are also a range of articles aimed at improving the experience of going through school with JIA, with helpful information on a range of aspects of school life, including completing an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) and covering letter to the school, coping with exam stress and minimising the effect of heavy school bags on the joints.…

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New & improved app for teens and young adults

After a successful launch last year, Versus Arthritis has exciting news about the next evolution of their free app, “Arthritis Tracker”. Available on Android and iPhone, the symptom and wellbeing tracker can help health professionals make the most of the time they have with patients and quickly get an understanding of some the key issues that a young person is facing, leaving more time to discuss treatment options.

“The app is great – I am actively encouraging young people in my clinic to use it.

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New stretching videos to help keep moving and manage your arthritis

stretching 2Versus Arthritis has developed ten new stretching ‘follow along’ videos specifically to help people with arthritis to maintain flexibility and to help relieve stiffness.

The 15-minute ‘follow along’ format means that the videos can be easily incorporated into people’s daily routine. All of the exercises are designed to be done at home with some of the fun movements making use of everyday household objects.

This video series will form a key part of Let’s Move, a dedicated programme funded by Sport England for people with arthritis who want more movement in their lives.…

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SMILE-RA from NRAS

Working closely with health professionals and people living with RA, NRAS has created SMILE-RA- a platform to support people with self-management of their RA. With an intuitive interface, the modules can be selected which are of interest and relevance.

The modules available are the following:

  • Foundation
  • Newly Diagnosed
  • Meet the Team
  • Managing pain and Flares

New modules will continue to be added as they are developed. Visit nras.org.uk/selfmanagement for more information!

Hear from NRAS National Patient Champion, Ailsa Bosworth MBE, explaining in this video what supported self-management is all about and how SMILE, can help people living with RA.

RCPod foot arthritis patient resources

In collaboration with a number of partners the Royal College of Podiatry has developed a number of resources for people who suffer with arthritis in their feet. The main resource is available through the web page and can be accessible in over 100 languages. There are also favourable downloads in leaflet form for those wishing to pass the information on.

Please visit rcpod.org.uk/patient-information/arthritis for further information.

Long COVID self-management tools

Physiotherapist Katie Knapton from PhysioFit and Pete Moore from the PainToolkit have co-written a self-management guide for people suffering with Long Covid. This is free and entry-level information to try and help people on the path to recovery.

If you are noticing any worsening symptoms especially in terms of chest pain and shortness of breath it is vital that you are medically assessed. If you have been medically cleared, then it is still appropriate to have support and to monitor symptoms.…

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New app for virtual group exercise classes to support people living with arthritis

The pandemic has led to a backlog of people, primarily over 50s, who are in need of support to manage their condition due to a combination of physical inactivity and limited access to non-emergency appointments.

Those living with MSK conditions can find it challenging to exercise due to pain, fear of injury and low motivation. However physical activity can help to alleviate symptoms and improve mental health.

A new app designed to bring people together

The VCR project, running for twelve months, will be offering support to people in the form of peer-led, virtual group exercise classes delivered via a mobile app.…

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Long COVID and Post-COVID-19 Syndrome training

e-Learning for Healthcare has published a national training session providing an introduction to long COVID, looking at its definition, common symptoms, investigations as well as the impact it has on adults and children.

The session is aimed at all clinical staff in the NHS in England, particularly those in primary and community care. Dr Ian Bernstein, Director of Medical Education led the team of authors from Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust.

The programme can be accessed from the e-lfh.org.uk website; scroll down to the ‘View’ button.

Tackling health inequalities: a framework for AHPs

The King’s Fund has worked with AHPs from across the UK to consider their contribution to tackling health inequalities. A framework based on the findings, to which the The Institute of Osteopathy has contributed, has now been published. It includes examples of work in health inequalities, including a service provided by osteopaths in South London.

Read the article My role in tackling health inequalities: a framework for allied health professionals on the King’s Fund website.

Medicines in JIA booklet from NRAS

The JIA booklet Medicines in JIA was launched by NRAS earlier this year. The focus of this booklet is on the medicines that are used to treat JIA, but it also contains information about what parents and young people with JIA can expect at every stage from diagnosis onwards, showing that medicines are only one part of treatment.

This booklet was made in close partnership with parents, young people and healthcare professionals. Inside, you will find a directory containing detailed information on each of the JIA medicines, as well as information on how the immune system works, the support available from healthcare teams and other ways to help manage JIA alongside medication.…

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