04 December 2020
This International Volunteer Day, BSR’s sending a heartfelt thank you to everyone who volunteered and contributed their time in 2020, ensuring a successful year during a truly difficult time for the rheumatology community.
Since lockdown began back in March, like most organisations we’ve had to refocus our strategic priorities for 2020-22. While doing so, we’ve delivered regular COVID-19 updates, drafted ‘gold standard’ guidelines, launched online courses and events, lobbied parliamentarians in all four nations, launched a new eLearning platform and a UK-wide ePROMs platform. Without the efforts, support and dedication of members and volunteers who worked closely with BSR staff, we wouldn’t have achieved so much together.
Governance
BSR is governed by volunteers who sit on its Board of Trustees. They’re responsible for setting its strategic direction and remit to ensure it meets its legal and financial duties as a registered charity. On International Volunteer Day, we welcome our newly elected committee members, who take up their posts early next year at our AGM.
Building communities
Part of BSR’s strategic mission is to support members throughout their careers and champion the specialty as a whole. This includes increasing the involvement of those who are not currently well represented. We worked with our paediatric and adolescent community on the second day of Case-based Conference and recently celebrated record attendance at Rheumatology for Specialist Nurses, after working with nurse volunteers and the Education Committee. Internationally, we’ve seen more members joining our Editorial Boards and actively engaging in our online events.
It’s important to recognise the work done with non-members who dedicate their time to support our Quality Review Scheme and new ePROMs platform, as well as those who wrote about their experiences during the first stage of the pandemic. We’d like to give a special mention to the patients who support the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit (NEIAA); their contribution was recognised this year when the NEIAA received the Richard Driscoll Memorial Award for patient and public involvement.
What our volunteers say
“I grew up seeing my father suffer badly with rheumatoid arthritis in the 1960s when the only drug available was Ibuprofen. What made becoming a BSR trustee so appealing was the opportunity to do something for an organisation that represented a professional body and a disease that had sadly impacted my father’s life so drastically. In April 2017, somewhat earlier than planned, I became one of BSR’s first Lay Trustees.” Paul Stennett, Lay Trustee
“Involvement with BSR means you’re in a position to volunteer when new initiatives are launched. Running pilots of the Quality Review Scheme was useful to get the process and paperwork in order, but also fascinating in terms of how different units operate and manage under varying workloads and conditions.” Shane Clarke, Heberden Committee member, Chair of South West Region
“Volunteering with the British Society for Rheumatology has been an amazing experience for me. The opportunity has allowed me, as a Consultant AHP, to engage in rheumatology service innovation with multidisciplinary teams, patients and carers.” Mhairi Brandon, Clinical Affairs Committee member.
“As someone living with rheumatoid arthritis, the need to manage this long-term condition is vital. .My contribution to the Patient Audit Panel, and my involvement as a Quality Review Scheme assessor, has enabled me to share my lived experiences and knowledge, which I’m confident will lead to ‘’the best’ possible outcomes in how patients are ultimately cared for and treated.” Tom Esterine, NEIAA Patient Panel member and QRS Patient Assessor
To find out more about how you to get involved, please contact the Membership team on membership@rheumatology.org.uk.