User:Emma1303/National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) is the only patient-led charity in the UK specifically for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), their families and carers, providing information, support and advocacy.

NRAS was launched in 2001 by Ailsa Bosworth (Chief Executive), who saw a need to provide some focus and a voice for people with this misunderstood disease. ‘Arthritis’ is a very general term and covers over 200 conditions. RA, which is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affects approximately 500,000 people in the UK and should not be confused with osteoarthritis. It is a painful, disabling disease of the autoimmune system and has no known cause or cure. It can affect people of any age - nearly 12,000 children under the age of 16 suffer from the juvenile form JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis).

NRAS is run by a staff of 18 from its office in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Key achievements since 2001 include:

• The Helpline – This was set up in October 2001 to give information and support to patients, their families and carers and, due to demand, has expanded through 2008.

• The NRAS Website – This was also launched in October 2001 to give information, education and support. There is a members’ forum to promote communication between people who, due to the effects of RA, often lead difficult and isolated lives. We are currently working on redesigning the website to make it more user friendly.

• Campaigning – We have worked tirelessly and successfully at government level to get RA higher on the national health agenda and improve access to treatment. Our All Party Parliamentary Group events such as our ‘Children and Young People with Inflammatory Arthritis’ event in December 2005 raises the profile of the disease in all age groups.

• Patients in Focus Award – This is an NRAS Award launched in 2003 to highlight the essential work done by nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other rheumatology practitioners who are so vital to people with RA.

• The NRAS Volunteer Network – Launched in 2003 to enable individuals to get peer to peer support from someone who has the disease. We have some 400 trained Volunteers who provide telephone support. We also have volunteers who run Volunteer Support Groups where people with RA can meet, and raise awareness and fundraise in their communities.

• Surveys – Our annual members’ surveys are presented at national and international rheumatology conferences (2007 ‘I Want to Work’).

• Rheumatoid Arthritis Self Management Programme – a new six week programme, being run in conjunction with the Expert Patient Programme, where lay tutors (who all have RA) work with a rheumatology professional to provide a self management course to help people manage their disease in the way they wish