11 March 2025
We are supporting the development of a new clinical guideline focusing on the holistic management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) across all ages.
This brand-new guideline will address many of the recommendations in the NCEPOD report on JIA published in February 2025. The guideline will be produced following the well-established BSR protocol, beginning with scoping followed by evidence review, grading of evidence, development of consensus statements, peer review and public consultation before final publication.
The process will commence in May 2025 with a view to completion in September 2027. Guideline co-chair, Dr Ethan Sen, said,
“The detailed scope is yet to be determined, but we expect the guideline to cover all ages of patients with JIA and include all drug treatments for JIA, non-pharmacological management and holistic care (including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychology), patient and family education about the disease and treatments, and transition from paediatric to adult rheumatology. The guideline will not include recommendations about referral pathways and diagnosis of JIA (included in the BSR guideline on the hot, swollen joint) or about safety and monitoring of csDMARDs, bDMARDS and tsDMARDS (which are covered in other BSR guidelines).”
We are looking to recruit 30-35 interested, committed and enthusiastic individuals to join the Guideline Working Group (GWG) to support the development of this exciting new guideline. The GWG will have representatives from paediatric, adolescent and adult rheumatology across all health professions (consultants, trainees/resident doctors, clinical nurse specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, pharmacists, primary care doctors / GPs, non-clinical researchers/evidence experts, and colleagues with experience in quality improvement/innovation).
The GWG will also include experts by experience to provide the crucial perspective of patients and their families, and we’ll be working closely with key stakeholders throughout the development process. The GWG will be co-chaired by Dr Sandrine Lacassagne and Dr Ethan Sen.
For resident doctors/trainees only, please refer to the role description and apply to join the GWG via this application form.
For all other representatives, please apply via email by providing a short personal statement (up to 500 words) by 9am on Monday 5th May and include:
- Your profession and current role
- Your experience of caring for patients with JIA and their families
- Any relevant experience in guideline development/systematic literature reviews
- Membership of any national/international groups or committees related to JIA or associated leadership roles
- Why you are specifically interested in this topic and supporting the GWG.
If you would like any further information, please don't hesitate to contact our guidelines team at guidelines@rheumatology.org.uk.