Welsh Survey on Rheumatology 2024 – report

In 2024, NRAS updated their patient survey, first done in 2016 and reported as part of the BSR State of Play for Wales report of that year, and sent it out as widely as possible across Wales to gauge people’s experiences of rheumatology services and care in a post pandemic landscape.

We wanted the opportunity for the results to inform the work being undertaken by the Strategic Clinical Network for Musculoskeletal health within the new NHS Wales Executive, particularly in designing RA pathways. The results indicate that many of the issues highlighted in the 2016 joint report with the BSR remain concerns for people today. It also highlights that much more needs to be done to refer and signpost people to high quality supported self-management resources available from patient organisations such as NRAS.

Individually all my rheumatology team are great but the NHS is struggling at the moment, I last saw my rheumatologist five months ago for a review, he decided that my current biologic meds were not working and recommended a change. Five months have passed and still nothing. Not exactly treating to target!”

Anonymous Survey

On 22^nd April 2025, Peter Foxton, CEO of NRAS, hosted a live webinar discussing the results of the survey together with a discussion of how we can improve the patient experience for people living with Inflammatory Arthritis in Wales. He was joined by Ailsa Bosworth, National Patient Champion, Sadé Asker, Senior Policy Officer and Dr Ceril Rhys-Dillon, Consultant Rheumatologist and Clinical Lead for the Rheumatology Clinical Implementation Network in Wales.

To catch up on the webinar, please see the video below:

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