A few predictions about our lobbying priorities...

[Jamie-NRAS]

I love the 2005 film ‘Thank You for Smoking’. It's about a smooth-talking tobacco lobbyist who marauds across Capitol Hill, boozing and bribing everyone in his path. Great to watch, but probably not the best lobbying tactic to imitate.

Megalomaniac dreams aside, it has been an extremely busy first few weeks for me, as NRAS’s newly appointed Government Affairs Manager. It started with a priority setting meeting convened by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence’s Patients in NICE group. This was swiftly followed by a meeting of the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance’s Policy Board, and it culminated last week with my very first attendance at the annual British Society for Rheumatology conference, where I heard about the latest RA research and attended a number of debates about the possible impacts of the new NHS reforms being brought in by the Coalition Government.

It may have been a bit of a baptism of fire, but it has undoubtedly been a great introduction to the policy issues surrounding RA and it has definitely given me plenty of food for thought over what our lobbying goals should be over the next 12-months. So, based on these initial forays, I’m going to gaze into my crystal ball, adopt my best Mystic Meg voice, and predict a few things I think you will see NRAS doing more of in the coming months:

1. More campaigning in the Devolved Nations. There remains plenty to do in England, but we also know there’s plenty to do in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Following the elections, expect to see NRAS working hard to raise awareness about RA among the new parliamentary intakes and the new devolved governments.

2. Lobbying across a wider cross-section of issues. There is no doubt about it, as spending cuts begin to bite, and benefit entitlements change, we are seeing more people with RA suffering financial hardship and a reduced quality of life. Expect to see NRAS doing more work around the welfare reforms and holding the UK Government to account.

3. Greater involvement of our members in direct campaigning. Lobbying is never more powerful and effective then when it is expressed locally by those who know most about the debilitating effects of this disease: the people with RA themselves. Expect to see NRAS making strides to improve the range of e-campaigning tools on our website and get more members and supporters directly involved in face-to-face meetings with decision-makers.

4. More work with the national media. ‘The Year of RA’ was a stunning achievement, with the King’s Fund report, an National Audit report and a Public Accounts Committee report all happening in quick succession, alongside the publication of a NICE Clinical Guidance on the management of RA. However, since 2010, the NHS reforms have pushed other health matters from the spotlight. Expect to see NRAS fighting back by doing more activities to generate media coverage and high-level debate, and making use of our ‘One Year On’ report recommendations.

Fancy yourself as a bit of a clairvoyant? Why not add your own predictions to this comment piece below. Alternatively why not get in touch with me at [e-mail] for your own unique tarot reading...

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hi jamie, yes I'd love a tarot reading! the trouble is I'm scared what the future may hold. With the way the coalition-government are working at the moment the small amount of benefits I do get may well disappear.

But your right we do need to highlight the NRAS more if we can do that the understanding of RA for people should hopefully follow. Trouble is RA as an illness is not understood as it should be and only those who suffer the disease truly understand how life changing it really is, other more well known illnesses are so much more in the spotlight and there's only us that can change that situation.

You can still read my future if you like you may see something different, a lottery win maybe! but I doubt it!

Good blogg by the way.and nice to meet you.

mand xx

[Jamie-NRAS]

Thanks Mand, pleased you found it helpful! We are producing some case studies to document the experiences of those people with RA who are claiming DLA. So if you have a story you would like to share for the purpose of our lobbying activites then please email me at [e-mail]

In addition we are looking to get more NRAS members and volunteers involved in face-to-face meetings with politicians. If you would like to get involved in some PR activity, around 'Tea for 10', or 'RAise it' then do get in touch.

...I predict it will be worthwhile!

[Hidden]

I think Mand is right.

There is a fundamental lack of understanding about what RA is amongst the general public. I think to challenge the terminology and underlying assumptions People make would be really good. Its basic I know but so much hinges on how much is understood about the disease.

I think I read somewhere ( not sure if its in America) that people are campaigning to have the arthritis removed from the word Rheumatoid. Many people seem to think that RA is just like OA arthritis but a bit more severe.

My other concern at the moment and this is probably very contraversial is how hard I have found it to access treatment quickly when my biggest goal at the moment is to stay in work until its impossible. I think if you are in work, paying taxes etc surely you should be fast tracked so that you can avoid if possible having to claim incapacity benefit etc. Please dont think I have any problem with claiming incapacity benefit this because I would not hesitate too if I needed it.

However due to the recent backlog of cases in my local NHS i had to pay privately to get the treatment I need to try to stay in work. Not sure what others think or would like to be the case for them if they are in my situation.

I would love to get involved in any way I can James but have just realised that I first need to join NRAS ! I will sort that out over the next week.(Ooops Shame !!!!)

Many thanks

Fiona