Media Centre

Public Accounts Committee Press Release

The Public Accounts Committee has released a report on services for people with rheumatoid arthritis. More...

Gordon Brown receives prescription promise ‘wake-up call’

People across England will be joining forces to demonstrate their outrage at Gordon Brown's failure to act on his promise to abolish prescription charges for people with long-term conditions, by taking part in a simultaneous ‘wake-up phone call’ to No 10. More...

NICE Approves New Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

NICE Approves New Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Treatment Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) With First of Its Kind RA Patient Access Scheme. More...

Size of vital highland medical facility to be reduced by a third

HIGHLANDS and Islands MSP Dave Thompson was horrified this week to discover that NHS Highland had decided to remove almost a third of the beds from a unit for patients being treated for arthritis and rheumatology. Since becoming aware of the threat to the Highland Rheumatology Unit (HRU) in Dingwall last year, Mr Thompson has lobbied senior managers at NHS Highland to argue the case for the retention of the busy unit in Dingwall. More...

NICE have once again said 'no' to the use of Tocilizumab in the NHS

NRAS Statement in regard to NICE decision on Tocilizumab.
The NRAS are devastated to learn that NICE have once again said ‘no’ to the use of Tocilizumab in the NHS. This is indeed a bitter blow for patients who have failed on Anti-TNF, particularly those who have sero-negative RA and for whom the only other biologic drug option, Rituximab, may not be suitable. More...

 

NICE preliminary guidance on Certolizumab (Cimzia) A ‘Minded’ No

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society urges NICE to reconsider guidance. It is with huge disappointment that The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) has to report to its members that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued its preliminary recommendation in the Appraisal Consultation Document on 20th October, not to prescribe certolizumab (Cimzia), a new Anti-TNF therapy which works differently to the other Anti-TNF drugs on the market, for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. NICE have couched their rejection as a ‘minded no’. More...

 

'Who Sees What?'

Have you ever wondered how your personal health records are stored and who has access to them? Do you want to know more about how things might change as the NHS shifts to a system of electronic records? Now is your chance to learn what the NHS plans to do with your personal information, and to let the government know what you think. Patients, carers, health workers and members of the public are being invited to have their say through a six-month national consultation, organised by the New Economics Foundation, from September 2009 to February 2010. More...

'Shaping the Future of Care Together' - Government report on reforming care & support system

A green paper report called ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together’ has been published by the Secretary of State for Health and was presented to Parliament on 14th July 2009. The report looks at ways to reform the current care and support system. One of the items reviewed in the report is the possibility of integrating some benefits, in particular Attendance Allowance (AA). More...

NRAS Press Release on National Audit Office Report on RA

NRAS CALLS FOR A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE TIME TO DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.
The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) has today called for a national campaign to improve awareness about Rheumatoid Arthritis so people can seek swift treatment and prevent long term joint damage and disability. This follows the publication of research by the National Audit Office (NAO) that has revealed a very worrying lack of awareness about RA among the public, health professionals and commissioners. More...