03 July 2019


Clinical nurse specialists working in paediatric and adolescent rheumatology are small in number (under 50), and so work hard to be supportive of one another both nationally and locally through regional networks.


Each year the group, supported by industry partners, this year Abbvie, meets for two days for education, research updates, discussion of current practice and reflection of issues affecting the group and our families around the UK.


The host for 2019 was the team in Edinburgh. An excellent programme covered, amongst other subjects, nurse-led research into juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), a review of the Scottish Paediatric and Adolescent Network, the multidisciplinary team management of JDM and the skills needed for self-care of paediatric and adolescent rheumatology clinical nurse specialists.


These meetings are always very well attended and valued as an essential method by which the specific needs of this small group of nurses can be addressed to enable us to remain credible practitioners and supported.


The meeting highlighted the need to improve access to ongoing training relevant to paediatric rheumatology nurses. The CNS group look forward to working with its colleagues in BSPAR Section Council to identify how to fulfil this need.


The group's next meeting is in Newcastle in 2020, where they anticipate another full programme developed with paediatric and adolescent rheumatology nursing in mind.