Patients | ARMA

SMILE-RA – Exercise just got easier

NRAS understands that for people living with rheumatoid arthritis, physical activity is not a short‑term resolution but an important, sustained commitment that supports health throughout the year. SMILE-RA is a free, user friendly program designed to support people living with RA self-manage their condition.

To help individuals incorporate exercise more effectively into daily life, NRAS has refined the original SMILE‑RA Exercise module into two concise components: The Science Explained, which outlines the evidence behind the benefits of regular exercise for heart health, joint function, energy, mood, and overall wellbeing; and Let’s Move, which provides practical, achievable guidance for integrating physical activity into everyday routines in a sustainable and adaptable way.…

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APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health

All-Party Parliamentary Group publishes report on osteoporosis

The APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health has published Seen, Heard, Supported: Transforming Osteoporosis Care. Drawing on survey data from over 3,300 patients, the report found more than half of people with osteoporosis had no NHS contact about their condition in the past year. It highlights fragmented pathways, weak long-term condition management, and stark inequalities, and calls for national audit of the entire patient pathway, comprehensive local pathways, and bone health questions to be added to the NHS Health Check.…

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Preparing for the festive season

We know that December can be a busy and stressful month, especially when you have a long-term condition.

NRAS has therefore added a new section to their website, which features lots of tips to help you through the festive season and into the new year.

Find it here.

Psoriasis Awareness Week 2025

Psoriasis Awareness Week is fast approaching with this year’s event running from Wednesday 29^th October to Tuesday 4^th November 2025 with the theme ‘Comorbidities of Psoriasis’.

Comorbidities are the presence of one or more additional diseases or disorders that occur in someone, alongside already living with psoriasis.

This includes conditions such as Psoriatic Arthritis, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and the mental health impact that living with psoriasis may have including low self-esteem, feelings of isolation and loneliness and anxiety and depression.…

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NRAS Live – Diet and Nutrition video

In early October NRAS were joined by Julie Cooper, Nutritional Therapist, for an NRAS Live event.

Julie shared her own rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis story, told how changes in her diet helped optimise her own health, and explained how looking after your gut health can really improve your quality of life.

You can watch the video here.

The new NRAS RA Symptom Checker

NRAS is proud to announce they have launched a new online tool aimed at helping individuals identify early signs of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune condition that affects around 400,000 people in the UK. If left untreated, it can cause long-term joint damage and affect other organs such as the lungs, heart, and eyes. Early diagnosis is crucial to managing the disease and preventing irreversible harm.

To support this, NRAS has introduced the “Is it RA?” Symptom Checker, a user-friendly online resource developed with input from leading rheumatology experts.…

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Scottish Survey of autoimmune inflammatory conditions

NRAS is leading on an important collaborative survey of people with autoimmune inflammatory conditions across Scotland about their experience of care in the NHS. We want to hear from any patients with a diagnosis of any of the following conditions:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Axial Spondyloarthritis
• Psoriatic Arthritis or Psoriasis
• Lupus
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The survey is live from 1st September 2025 until 10th October 2025.

Below is a link to our website and a copy of our flyer.…

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Living with RA in Wales?

A chance to meet the team who support you!

NRAS is pleased to invite people in Mid-Wales to an in-person event in Aberystwyth on the 22nd of October 2025.

Members of the NRAS team, including Director of Innovation and Services Donagh Stenson, will be joined by Professor Karim Raza, Consultant Rheumatologist, Bronglais Hospital, Hywel Dda University Health Board, and Sarah O’Donovan, a rheumatology nurse specialist who works with Professor Raza. The event will consist of talks by Donagh and Karim about how NRAS can support people to self-manage their condition and about developments in rheumatology care.…

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Disability benefit changes – what they mean

In 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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