BSR President Elect – Dr Deborah E Bax

BSR is pleased to announce that Dr Deborah Bax has been confirmed as President Elect of BSR.

Below is Dr Bax’s nomination statement:

Rheumatology, alongside other medical specialties, faces new challenges with the introduction of Choose and Book, the 18 week wait, the influx of CATS and demands for the earlier use of biologic therapies as we seek to provide high quality and equitable care. The B SR has a history of working hard for its members. Its responsibilities will expand greatly in the future, with an even more urgent need to provide leadership in advancing knowledge, strengthening and widening its education, training and research activities and in ensuring the effective delivery of new working arrangements within the NHS. The BSR must work in partnership with other groups in healthcare who, overall, care for the nine million individuals in the UK with rheumatological conditions.

I have been a full-time consultant rheumatologist since 1989 and Clinical Director since 2001. I chair the Rheumatology Specialist Advisory Committee providing national leadership for training and assessment and am a member of the BSR Council and Education & Training Committee and the European Union of Medical Specialties Working Groups on Standards of Rheumatology Care and Training. I am an adviser to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and the Commission on Human Medicines and have been an MRCP PACES examiner since 1997.

I have been successful in my roles as BSR Honorary Secretary, as RCP Regional Adviser and as a member of the RCP committees including Council and the Federation of UK CPD Policy. I co-authored the BSR guidelines for Standards of Care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

I am totally committed to improving our service for patients. The BSR is central to this and I have the ability and enthusiasm to be your President, represent your views and ensure that the highest possible level of support is available to you.