Celebrating excellence in AS care: the 2018 NASS patients’ choice awards are now open for nominations
The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS) is delighted to announce that the second Patients’ Choice Awards are now open for nominations. These awards were created in 2016 to honour those health care professionals who continually go above and beyond the call of duty to support people with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) including ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and who work hard to consistently apply and implement the NICE Guideline and Quality Standards for Spondyloarthritis in support of every patient, every day, around the UK.
The impact of winning a Patients’ Choice Award ripples far and wide. In 2016, the AS Clinic at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital was in danger of losing their rheumatology nurse specialist to another department until they won the Best AS Clinic award, which halted the move and retained the team at full strength. Colin Beevor, Matron, said: “Remaining patient-focused is important when justifying clinical nurse specialists’ roles and service. The NASS Patients’ Choice awards truly raise the profile of an individual and / or service and as you celebrate news of a win, your local health community, executives and commissioners really take notice.”
Dale Webb, CEO of NASS, says: “At a time when the NHS is perpetually under fire, NASS is proud to celebrate those health care professionals who are changing the face of what quality AS care looks like. We are inviting people with AS and their loved ones to tell us who has made the greatest impact on their care over the past year. We look forward to honouring the winners in a ceremony later this year during our parliamentary reception.”
Nominations can be made here on Survey Monkey, closing on 26 September, 2018.