03 June 2020
Dr Marwan Bukhari is a consultant rheumatologist working in the North West of England. He’s had various roles within BSR, and is Editor-in-Chief for our flagship journal Rheumatology.
"BSR offers you great opportunities to share best practice and network with people outside of your Trust. I’ve been involved in Rheumatology for more than 16 years, first as an Associate Editor, then co-Editor and in 2019, I became Editor-in-Chief. During this time, I’ve seen the evolution of the journal, and we are now approaching new ways of dissemination. We’ve seen record numbers of submissions as our reputation grows within the community. With COVID-19, we have seen the specialty evolving online, which is making us think of different ways to communicate with our authors and readership.
"I’m also a member of the Heberden Committee, helping to put together the scientific programme for Annual Conference, and I was a member of the Clinical Affairs Committee for four years. All my volunteering roles with BSR have been extremely rewarding, and I was able to relay some work back locally to make a difference. Most recently, I’ve been involved in BSR’s webinar series, hosting and asking speakers questions.
"I’ve been fortunate enough to get involved in writing several BSR guidelines, enabling me to develop my own skills and expertise, as well as helping others. Through the guidelines work, I became an expert on looking at some of the newer biologics, and worked on guidelines for Rituximab. From this, I’ve been asked by NICE to advise as a clinical expert.
"There’s a lot of good that comes from being asked to get involved. It gives you the ability to step away from the day-to-day and think about opportunities to do things differently and improve clinical practice. You do need to ensure you can commit some time to volunteering, but it’s not as onerous as you might think, and can sometimes depend on your involvement. Committees meet 3-4 times per year and often remotely.
"Whatever you can commit, it is really worthwhile! Being involved with BSR is vital. If you experience problems locally, your service is under threat, BSR has contacts and regional representatives who can help. Being able to grow your network and connect with others locally and globally is so important too."
Dr Ruth Richmond is a consultant rheumatologist in the Scottish Borders, where she has worked for more than 20 years. She is the new Chair Elect of the Heberden Committee, is a former BSR Council representative for Scotland, sat on the Clinical Affairs Committee and served as President of the Scottish Society for Rheumatology (SSR).
"I'm very much looking forward to spending a year learning from the current chair of the Heberden Committee, Prof Gary MacFarlane, and to getting involved in planning for next year’s meeting.
"Being involved in the BSR Council and its committees is fun, a way to find out how services work around the country, to influence how our specialty evolves and to develop connections with other rheumatologists that you might not have done otherwise. I think I've always learnt something new from any piece of work that I have been involved with. The learning and sharing have helped to shape my own service.
"BSR and SSR are important sources of support for members – providing guidelines, reviewing policy, hosting educational events and running research/audit to improve services. They also act as an interface between patient charities and health professionals, crucial for ensuring that policy and services are patient-centred. Regional and devolved nation representation on the BSR Council should ensure that all members have a point of contact within their area for support with difficulties their services might face.”
Some of those who volunteer with us do so because they get the chance to make a difference, however big or small, gain exposure to new communities and networks, learn event organisation skills or simply ‘give something back’. For others, the benefits include professional development and the opportunity to develop leadership and strategy skills while helping shape the future of BSR.
Interested in finding out more about how to get more involved with our activities? Contact Erin Taylor, our Member Engagement Manager.