Focusing on improving daily life with arthritis for all
UK Charity Arthritis Action has released its new three-year strategy setting out key objectives to improve daily life with arthritis for all, through self-management. The plan, which builds on its previous 2021-2023 strategy, highlights six key strategic priorities.
Arthritis has traditionally been seen as a condition of older age. Central to Arthritis Action’s aims are to reach more young adults across the UK and support more people in work of all ages. This includes reaching out to employers to help them support employees living with arthritis, when they join the workforce or if they receive a diagnosis while in employment.
Interim CEO, Noha Al Afifi said “We are proud of the progress we made in 2021-2023 to reach young adults and support them with a range of self-management services and resources, and we look forward to working with people of all ages.”
At its core, Arthritis Action has a continuing and longstanding objective of helping people with arthritis enjoy a more active life with less pain through self-management, in line with the best available evidence. Over 10 million people live with arthritis in the UK, and with no cure, these numbers will continue to grow. Greater emphasis will be placed in its activities on supporting diverse communities affected by arthritis across the UK.
Noha Al Afifi added “We will continue to deliver presentations and engage with diverse communities affected by arthritis around the country, to raise awareness of its impact and provide information and evidence-based advice to empower them to live better with the condition”.
Building on strategies from its previous business plan, the Charity will continue to promote a self-management approach that attracts referrals from healthcare professionals and work with bodies that raise awareness of arthritis and MSK conditions.
The Charity is also investing in its fundraising team, which will help achieve these ambitious growth plans and aspirations over the next few years as well as to generate new income.
Concluding, Noha Al Afifi said: “Having supported people with all forms of arthritis for over 80 years, we know that one size does not fit all, so we will continue to develop and offer a range of services to help people find what works best for them. Whilst we are a membership charity, we have expanded our offer to ensure that everyone affected by arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in the UK can benefit from our approach.”
Read the new strategy document here (opens pdf)