October is Lupus Awareness Month

We would like to remind everyone that October is Lupus Awareness Month. Throughout the month LUPUS UK will be sharing facts, videos, information and case studies on social media. We would be very grateful to any organisations that can spread the word about our #THISISLUPUS campaign and direct people towards the LUPUS UK website for more information or support.

Three LUPUS UK Factsheets Revised and Updated

Three factsheets have recently been revised and updated to meet the requirements of The Information Standard.



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A Guide to Rheumatology: Parliamentary briefing

In late September, BSR are releasing ‘A Guide to Rheumatology: Parliamentary briefing,’ which seeks to address the challenges and opportunities faced by the rheumatology multidisciplinary team and identify ways to improve the treatment and care received by individuals with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. It highlights the significant difficulties experienced by rheumatology services and the patients they serve: 

  • Waiting times: 38% of patients in England with suspected rheumatoid arthritis were assessed within three weeks of referral.
  • Diagnostic delay: Only 18% of patients in England were referred to rheumatology within the NICE recommended three days of presentation to their GP.


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Smartwatch health study for the over 50s with knee pain

Cloudy and the University of Manchester are recruiting for a pioneering smartwatch study called Koalap (knee osteoarthritis: linking activity and pain) which starts in September. They are looking at the link between activity and knee pain.

This is part of the hugely successful Cloudy with a Chance of Pain study, which used citizen science phone app data to explore the relationship between weather and chronic pain conditions. Over 13,000 people took part and we featured on BBC’s “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor”, BBC Breakfast and ITV News, as well as all national newspapers.

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Please distribute the new NRAS Work Survey

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) launched its new Work Survey last week. This will investigate the experiences of people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Adult Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), any impact it has had on people’s ability to work and how it affects people in the workplace.

The research will allow NRAS to draw comparisons with its previous Work Survey 10 years ago and enable future campaigning to focus on matters that affect people with RA the most at work.…

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Mental wellbeing research

Arthritis Care published new research to launch our Wake up to arthritis campaign during Arthritis Care Week. The report, Hidden impact: Arthritis and mental wellbeing, revealed the huge emotional toll of living with arthritis. Findings are based on over 3,000 survey responses from people with arthritis.

Findings include:

  • 79 per cent feel anxious or depressed because of their arthritis
  • 89 per cent worry about how arthritis will affect their future independence
  • Four in five (80 per cent) have given up activities they enjoy
  • Half (50 per cent) feel isolated or lonely because of their arthritis

Find out more about this research and read the full report here.…

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PortsHosp – Dads and Mums with Arthritis Summer update

Portsmouth ARMA Network

DaM It Arthritis- Dads and Mums with Arthritis

Calling all Dads and Mums living with Arthritis and Connective Tissue diseases!
What do you need from a Rheumatology Service?

As we re-launch our “DaM it Arthritis” project, we would like to hear from you about what you need from local Rheumatology Services. We appreciate that having arthritis and connective tissue diseases can have an impact on personal, family and work-life balance and we are seeking your opinion on other aspects of support that you require from the Department of Rheumatology.…

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New Self-Management Event in Leicester

Arthritis Action in collaboration with CLASH – Community Leicester Arthritis Self-Help group – will be holding a two-day Self-Management Event in Leicester on :-

Wednesday 28th June 2017 at 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm
and
Thursday 29th June 2017 at 10.30am – 1.00 pm

We aim to help our attendees take control of the symptoms of their arthritis, with the event covering topics such as:
  • The impact of physical therapies
  • How you can best manage your pain
  • The benefits of exercise and a healthy diet
  • Ways to work in partnership with healthcare professionals

This SME Leicester event will be free of charge and refreshments will be provided, and is open to all.…

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Transport for London’s ‘please offer me a seat’ badge and card

Transport for London (TfL) is launching the ‘Please offer me a seat’ scheme for people who find it difficult to stand when using public transport. The badge and accompanying card were created following requests from customers who struggle to get a seat because their need is not immediately apparent to other travellers. The badge and card remove the awkwardness of customers having to explain their need for a seat to others.

Last autumn, TFL held a six week trial with 1,200 people to test the new badge and card.…

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PIER showcases good practice to NHS delegation

A group of senior delegates from the NHS Health Literacy Collaborative Group visited the Haywood Hospital in late February to look at the Patient Information and Resource Centre, (PIER) and see what effect its presence has had on the health literacy of patients and carers using the hospital.

Based within the outpatients’ area of the Haywood Hospital, the PIER, which opened in October 2015, provides patients, their families and carers with access to information on arthritis and related conditions. Visitors have access to a range of printed and online material in modern comfortable surroundings.…

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New Self-Management Event in Coventry

Arthritis Action will be holding a two-day Self-Management Event in Coventry on Wednesday 26th April 2017 at 2 pm – 4.30 pm and Thursday 27th April 2017 at 10.00 am – 1.00 pm.

 

We aim to help our attendees take control of the symptoms of their arthritis, covering topics such as:

  • The impact of physical therapies
  • How you can best manage your pain
  • The benefits of exercise and a healthy diet
  • Ways to work in partnership with healthcare professionals

This event will be free of charge and refreshments will be provided, and is open to all.…

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