PR 2012.02.07
Press statement from British Society for Rheumatology (BSR)
BSR welcomes NICE recognition of CQRA work
7th February 2012
The British Society for Rheumatology today welcomes the success of the Commissioning for Quality
in Rheumatoid Arthritis (CQRA) work on standards in getting the National Institute for Health and
Clinical Excellence (NICE) quality assurance. The CQRA standards are clinically useful, patient led
indicators, which will enable NHS commissioners to have high quality, timely data to use when
developing services for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
The standards were created between the Department of Health, rheumatologists, patients and
patient groups, Industry, and commissioners to ensure consistency in treatments for RA at much
earlier stages of the disease, before joint damage occurs ultimately leading to better patient
outcomes.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and limitation in the
motion and function of multiple joints. Though joints are the principal body parts affected by RA,
inflammation can develop in the organs as well. Approximately 690,000 people in the UK have RA,
and the disease typically affects women twice as often as men. It can affect people’s ability to work
and to live an independent life.
Commenting on their recognition by NICE Dr Chris Deighton, the British Society for Rheumatology
President Elect said: “I am very pleased that this valuable work has been recognised. Rheumatology
is in the midst of a period of huge growth in knowledge of the mechanisms of rheumatological and
auto-immune disease, which is transforming and advancing our options for offering highly effective
treatments”
Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS), who helped
develop the work, said: "NRAS has been working with the CQRA multidisciplinary group from the
beginning. We are delighted that our work has been recognised in this way and hope that more
rheumatology units will now take advantage of the data collection tools available and start using
them, especially because we have seen clear evidence from the pilots that these tools have driven up
standards of care for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis."
-ENDSNote to Editors:
The British Society for Rheumatology is a national professional medical society that represents
rheumatologists in liaison with rheumatology health professionals around the UK. Its mission is to
promote excellence and advance rheumatology. For more information about the BSR, visit
www.rheumatology.org.uk
PR 2012.02.07
The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) was launched in October 2001 and in a relatively
short time has become established as the campaigning voice in the UK for people with Rheumatoid
Arthritis. NRAS provides a total one-stop-shop with support, information and advocacy for all
people in the UK with RA, their carers and families. NRAS has a national volunteer network, a group
of people with the disease who provide peer to peer support and provide additional resource to help
NRAS in many different ways. For more information about NRAS visit www.NRAS.org.uk
For further details please contact:
Debbie Smith
dsmith@rheumatology.org.uk
020 7842 0915