I am delighted to say that the much awaited NRAS publication on Emotions, Relationships and Sexuality arrived just over a week ago into our offices and already in one week we have sent out and given away at the BSR conference 340 of them! We knew they were going to be in demand but this is unprecedented! To order your free copy email enquiries@nras.org.uk or call 0845 458 3969 or visit nras.org.uk/relationships
The full survey report on this topic which contributed to the booklet is also available to download.
The new publication was very well received at the BSR/BHPR conference in Birmingham this week where I think we may well have even managed to encourage a few eminent Professors of rheumatology to start talking about these tricky topics in their consultations! Specialist nurses and other allied health professionals were delighted to, at long last, have a resource that doesn’t shy away from tackling the issues of self-confidence, feeling sexy, feeling lost and the practicalities of lovemaking. It’s all here in what we have nicknamed our “50 Shades of RA”.
The conference is always incredibly busy and there is so much to see and learn. Every year I come away thinking the same thing....”Rheumatology is such an exciting area to work within”. New discoveries and understanding of what the disease is and how it can be better controlled are discussed and debated. So many bright young, and not so young, minds working so hard to ensure that people living with RA are given the best opportunity of living full and healthy lives. It is exhilarating. Naturally a very lively session was on the changing NHS and what the impact will be on rheumatology services, the take home message I took from this is thank heavens that we, NRAS and Arthritis Care and the British Society of Rheumatology have formed an alliance to be proactive in working with commissioners to ensure we can ensure changes are truly “patient centred”. We are streets ahead of other disease areas.
As well as 12 hour days at conference this week Gill, Kim and I hosted our first Members’ RA ROADSHOW day in Solihull on Monday. The day was interactive and covered many areas of the work of NRAS that our Members can get involved in. We will be hosting the next one in Maidstone next week and then Manchester and Bristol are to follow. Above is a picture of the enthusiastic members who came from all over and I hope had a great day.
To blog or not to blog that is the question?
