From the charity Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases: On 3rd October local charity, Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (BIRD) who work to improve information access for patients, gained national recognition at the Patient Experience Network National Awards (PENNA) for its Patient and Public Engagement initiative. This award echoes the theme of this year’s World Arthritis Day 2024 to improve access to information for people living with rheumatic diseases, like arthritis, to achieve better health outcomes.
BIRD received a Runner Up award at the Patient Experience Network National Awards held at the University of Birmingham in the ‘Communicating Effectively with Patients and Families’ category. BIRD won the award due to their strong patient-led programme of communication, events, webinars and podcasts for patients living with a rheumatic disease. BIRD’s Engagement Initiative works with patients to help them understand their condition, involve them in research studies and increase their confidence to self-manage and live well with a rheumatic disease such as arthritis.
Arthritis, a condition highlighted by World Arthritis Day on 12th October, is on the rise and currently over 10 million or one in six people in the UK are living with arthritis according to The State of Musculoskeletal Health 2024 Report (by Versus Arthritis). Arthritis can affect people’s ability to work, to move freely without pain, to care for their family or to live independently.
Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (BIRD) Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (birdbath.org.uk) supports arthritis research, education and patient engagement and works alongside the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) in Bath to improve the lives of people with arthritis and related conditions.
Since 2020, BIRD’s Patient and Public Engagement team has responded to the pandemic and requests for more in-person access to information, consultants and research by running more webinars and a podcast series on rheumatic diseases that has now had 25,000 listens and covers treatment, research, patient support and wellbeing. In recent years BIRD has hosted public events such as the annual Research Showcase, online webinars and piloted short films featuring existing patients sharing their personal experiences to help guide patients at the RNHRD and encourage them to get involved in research projects.
Shane O’ Reilly, trustee, committee chair and volunteer at Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (BIRD) as well as a patient with a rheumatic disease said: “We are delighted to receive this recognition as it speaks directly to the heart of what we strive to achieve, making a difference in the lives of patients. Our Patient and Public Engagement initiative is built on listening to patients to create better outcomes. This year, through webinars, podcasts, videos, and events we’ve seen how powerful patient-driven communication can be in helping people understand their condition and feel confident in managing it. Our thanks to the patients and families consultants, researchers, and healthcare professionals who contribute their time or expertise to help us create informative events and communications for patients.”
Celia Mead, Executive Director at Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases said: “We support the mission of World Arthritis Day 2024 to raise awareness of the impact of rheumatic diseases on people’s lives as they are one of the biggest causes of disability in the UK. Arthritis was the most common ‘main disabling category’ amongst Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) benefits claimants in 2023, hence a deeper understanding of rheumatic diseases and research into treatments for these patients is an absolute priority. Looking ahead to BIRD’s 50th anniversary in 2025, we’re excited to continue connecting with more patients, exploring new ways to share vital information, and ensuring that patient experiences are always at the forefront of our work.”
To subscribe to BIRD’s information services or get involved in research visit www.birdbath.org.uk
or to learn more about the specialist care and services at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, (RNHRD) visit www.ruh.nhs.uk
Editors note: Neither the trustees nor any persons connected with them have received any remuneration from the charity or any related entity, either in the current or prior year of 2022-23. They have a small staff who are paid normal salaries for an office.