Category: Patients

Disability benefit changes – what they mean

disability benefitIn June, Versus Arthritis launched their Cut to the Bone campaign, calling on the UK Government to rethink its proposed cuts to disability benefits. In response, almost 40,000 people emailed their MPs, calling on them to vote against these cuts.

The campaign really made a difference. People with arthritis came together to call for change, so Versus Arthritis is pleased that the UK Government listened to our community and announced their U-turn on PIP.

However, despite the changes, we want to ensure that the UK Government doesn’t simply delay proposed cuts to PIP or make changes to eligibility criteria in the future.…

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Osteoporosis APPG launches patient experience survey

Have you ever felt unsure who to speak to about your bone health? Or wished your osteoporosis care was better joined up?

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Osteoporosis and Bone Health – a cross-party group in Parliament supported by the Royal Osteoporosis Society – is running a new inquiry into how people with osteoporosis are supported and empowered throughout their care. The voice of people with lived experience is essential to informing this work.

The APPG is asking people affected by osteoporosis to complete a short survey about their experience of care.…

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Living Well with Arthritis: self-management event

Thursday 19th June 2025, 6.00-7.00pm

Arthritis Action is running its popular introduction to self-management event for those that are new to the concept. The online event will introduce and address topics such as: pain management, healthy eating & weight management, staying active, hobbies and social life, emotional wellbeing and pacing and distraction techniques.

Tickets are free and anyone interested in attending can contact events@arthritisaction.org.uk or send a message via WhatsApp: 07702 813737 or book direct from Eventbrite.

Lupus UK Strategy insight surveys and focus groups

Lupus UK are conducting surveys and focus groups to develop their aims and priorities for the next 5 years. They want to hear from the whole lupus community about what you want and need, including people living with lupus and those who support them personally or professionally. Your voice matters, and Lupus UK is are listening.

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NRAS Local Groups

NRAS local groups are a wonderful place to share knowledge, enjoy engaging events and find friendship with others who know what living with rheumatoid arthritis is like. By joining an NRAS local group, people can find support, enjoy activities and learn from expert speakers.

For more information on upcoming local events, visit the event page on nras.org.uk.

For more information on NRAS Local Groups and NRAS JoinTogether online groups, please visit the NRAS Connect with others page.

Apni Jung leaflets now available in Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi

As part of a commitment to increasing their support of South Asian communities across the UK impacted by Rheumatoid Arthritis, NRAS is pleased to announce the launch of three new patient-facing leaflets in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. 

These are now available as downloads or in hard copy for individuals and in quantity for rheumatology teams serving people from South Asian heritage, adding to the collective resources on the Apni Jung area of the NRAS website specifically for South Asian communities.

Also, a reminder that it is possible to translate the NRAS website into 16 different languages, which include Bengali and Gujarati (in addition to the above three South Asian languages) for South Asian people affected by RA. …

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Getting the most out of your appointments

The Patients Association has launched two resources, an animation and a guide, which provide patients with the knowledge and tools they need so they are prepared to get the most out of their care. This includes:

  • ensuring they are prepared;
  • guidance on how they can prevent things going wrong;
  • steps they can take at each stage of their journey through the healthcare system.

The advice covers before, during and after appointments, focusing on communication, sharing information, and accessibility.

Both the animation and the guide can be viewed and downloaded from the Patients Association website.…

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NRAS Live: Stress Management

Stress managementNRAS Live: Stress Management and Autoimmune Conditions webinar
6th Feb 2025, 7:00pm
Online – Zoom

While stress itself does not directly cause rheumatoid arthritis (RA), research suggests it can play a vital part in triggering or exacerbating people’s symptoms. According to NRAS’s own report on stress, a staggering 77% of those who took part determined stress to be a major factor when they had flares.

Join the NRAS Live session at the beginning of February for a “Time to Talk Day” special on the importance of managing your stress.…

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NRAS Stress Matters booklet

bookletsNRAS is pleased to announce the launch of their new Stress Matters booklet. This follows on from the report by the same name, which covered the results of a survey exploring patient experiences of stress in relation to their inflammatory arthritis (IA).

Stress Matters explores what the findings of the NRAS study mean for people living with IA. It also helps people to understand what stress is, how it might affect them and gives tips on how it can be managed.…

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Patient Voices in Rheumatology

27th June 2025
The University of Chicago Booth, London

This one-day conference represents novel approach from the BSR education committee to bring a different type of expert to the lectern as part of a new format that uses patient stories and perspectives to deliver a fresh narrative to clinical learning. These key areas are often neglected when it comes to continuing professional development offerings. In patient-centred care, experiences, both positive and negative, need to be integral to how we learn as healthcare professionals, and how we are inspired to build and deliver our services.…

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