Overview

We're shaping the UK’s healthcare agenda, promoting excellent rheumatology care and advocating to grow the rheumatology workforce.

We work with all political parties and elected representatives in the UK Parliament (Westminster), the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly to push rheumatology to the top of the political agenda.

Our goal is to make our members’ voices heard by decision makers and to get the best outcomes for you and your patients. Your involvement in this work is vital.

We campaign on the issues that are important to our members by:

  • Building relationships and working in coalition with others.
  • Influencing policy and legislation through lobbying and campaigning.
  • Responding to consultations from a range of stakeholders, such as NICE, UK governments and UK parliaments, with our responses being informed by members experiences, our evidence and insight.

    Our campaign priorities are defined by members’ through our committees and annual member survey, and they are currently:

    - Growing the rheumatology workforce
    - Improving homecare medicines services 
    - Responding to COVID-19
    - Access to care challenges

        Find out more and learn how you can get involved with our activities by browsing our policy pages and or getting in touch with us to have a chat about opportunities.

        If you have a question for the external affairs team and its work, please contact policy@rheumatology.org.uk



          Workforce
          We’re campaigning to grow the rheumatology workforce, remove barriers to develop extended scope roles, and secure the future supply of specialists.
          Find out more

          BSR develops national referral criteria guidance

          This guidance serves to ensure that rheumatology departments see the right patients promptly
          Find out more

          Top tips: advice lines

          Rapid access to specialist advice has become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the disruption of routine outpatient services
          Find out more

          Triage top tips

          As we move to the COVID-19 recovery phase, we want to share our top tips for improving triage
          Find out more

          Specialist nursing in rheumatology: the State of Play

          Specialist nursing in rheumatology: the State of Play. Our new report is out now
          Find out more