British Health Professionals in Rheumatology (BHPR) exists to unite and support members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) in delivering best quality care which meets the needs of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions (MSC's).

• FREE online access to Musculoskeletal Care for BHPR members until July 2010
  Contact sbrooker@wiley.com at Wiley-Blackwell with your name, BHPR membership number and email address.
• DON'T FORGET TO APPLY FOR BHPR BURSARIES AND AWARDS! Click here for more details.
• AHP session submission process for the EULAR congress 2010 has been launched. You are invited to send your applications until 30 April 2009. Click here for more information

• Click here to view the Rheumatology Futures Group's final report

Aims of BHPR

• To promote the key role of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) in delivering best quality care for people with musculoskeletal conditions
• To support Health Professionals /allied care workers in their role as members of the MDT
• To inform, influence and facilitate health policy and practice to address the needs of people with musculoskeletal conditions
• To be a viable and effective organisation with its own unique identity.

How these aims will be met is discussed in the BHPR Strategic Review

Who We Are

• BHPR was established in 1985 to bring together all the disciplines of the health professions whose major interest lies in the care of people with musculoskeletal conditions.
• We have over 500 members from many professions: nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, psychology, social work, medicine, pharmacy and others.

Who We Work With

• We have strong links with the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) and the uni-disciplinary rheumatology organisations such as the Royal College of Nursing Rheumatology Forum, National Association of Rheumatology Occupational Therapists and the Podiatry Rheumatic Care Association. We have representatives of these groups contributing to the BHPR Council, as well as a Physiotherapy representative.
• Closer links with BSR are discussed in: BSR & BHPR: A Plan for Closer Collaboration. Draft Report of a joint BSR/BHPR Working Party
• BHPR Committee members are already representatives on the majority of BSR Committees facilitating joint working and closer collaboration.

What We Do

• BHPR holds an Annual Spring Conference combined with the BSR. This features keynote speakers, poster presentations, updates on practice, latest research and service developments. It includes the AGM, Special Interest Group Meetings, social events and many networking opportunities. Members are strongly encouraged to submit research and audit abstracts. We are also starting to hold regional meetings by linking with local groups of interested members. We contribute to and provide a voice for health professionals in the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA), Arthritis Research Campaign, Arthritis Care and the European League Against Rheumatism.
• We actively contribute to National Institute of Clinical Excellence Technology Appraisals and the development of standards and guidelines nationally.
• We actively contribute to the development of the arc Allied Health Professions education initiative, http://www.arc.org.uk/research/course/gcrp.htm, developing distance learning rheumatology courses. We also contribute to the development of the Musculoskeletal Library in the National electronic Library for Health (NeLH), http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/.

BHPR Council

The daily business of the BHPR is the responsibility of Council, nominated and elected from a broad field of professions. Council meets four times per year at the BSR/BHPR headquarters in London. The administration of the BHPR is supported by the secretariat of the BSR.

Click here to view the current BHPR Council 

Click here to view minutes of BHPR Council:

• June 2008