Meet the NASS Change Makers
Meet the NASS Change Makers
Introducing the Health Care Professionals who have been championing change in axial SpA care and driving down diagnostic delay. They have been awarded change maker status at either Gold, Silver or Bronze level to reflect their contribution. The winners received their award at an event in the Houses of Parliament on the 12th December 2023.
Gold Winners
Prof. Karl Gaffney
Prof. Karl Gaffney
Professor Gaffney is a consultant Rheumatologist and research lead at Norfolk and Norwich NHS Foundation Trust, as well as being an Honorary Professor and co-chair of the British Society for Spondyloarthritis (BRITSpA). Karl received a gold award for his tireless drive in taking forward the NASS campaign to drive down diagnostic delay.
Prof. Raj Sengupta
Prof. Raj Sengupta
Professor Sengupta is a Consultant Rheumatologist and the Clinical Lead for Axial Spondylarthritis service at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Royal United Hospitals Bath. Raj received a Gold award for his leadership on the Act on Axial SpA campaign. He has been involved since the origin of the programme and sits on the project board.
Sian Bamford & Prof. Hasan Tahir
Sian Bamford & Prof. Hasan Tahir
Sian is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (APP) for rheumatology, while Professor Tahir is a Consultant Rheumatologist and Physician who both lead the axial SpA service at the Royal Free London NHS Trust, who both received a gold award for their work in improving diagnostic delay, through public awareness campaigns, data, education and pathway development.
Dr Antoni Chan
Dr Antoni Chan
Dr Chan is a Consultant Rheumatologist in the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. He sits on our medical advisory board and is committed to supporting NASS in driving down the delay to diagnosis. He has been awarded a Gold award for his work on reducing the delay to diagnosis through education, setting up services and local networks, and his dedication to data collection.
Dr Louise Warburton
Dr Louise Warburton
Dr Warburton is a General Practitioner (GP) with extended role in Rheumatology and MSK; and an Associate Medical Director of Shropshire Community NHS Trust, who received a gold award for her work in improving diagnostic delay, through tirelessly raising awareness of axial SpA across primary care at a national level.
Silver Winners
Dr Toby Wallace
Dr Toby Wallace
Dr Wallace is General Practitioner (GP) at the Derwent Practice in Malton, North Yorkshire, who received a silver award for his work in improving diagnostic delay, as a Champion in Primary Care through delivering education, implementing electronic triage tools, promoting NASS and national presentations.
James Holland
James Holland
James is a First Contact Physiotherapist (FCP) working for Viaduct Care in Stockport, who received a silver award for his work in improving diagnostic delay, as a Champion in Primary Care, through delivering education, developing triage tools and building links into secondary care.
Sam Bhide
Sam Bhide
Sam is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (APP) and First Contact Physiotherapist (FCP) working for Kingston NHS Foundation Trust in the East Elmbridge primary care network (PCN), who received a silver award for her work in improving diagnostic delay, as a Champion in Primary Care through delivering education, developing local pathways, promoting NASS and national presentations.
Dr Arumugan Moorthy
Dr Arumugan Moorthy
Dr Moorthy is a consultant Rheumatologist from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, who received a silver award for his work in improving diagnostic delay, mainly focused around research and collaboration with ophthalmology.
Dr Gurdeep Dulay
Dr Gurdeep Dulay
Dr Dulay is a consultant Rheumatologist and Physician from Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, who received a silver award for his work in improving diagnostic delay, mainly focused around education, data and leadership of a regional network.
Dr Tom Williams
Dr Tom Williams
Dr Williams is a Consultant Rheumatologist at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Royal United Hospitals Bath and has achieved a Silver award for his enthusiasm in driving down the delay in diagnosis through presentations, setting up pathways and data.
Dr Dhivya Das
Dr Dhivya Das
Dr Das is a Consultant Rheumatologist working for Rochdale Infirmary, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust who has been awarded Silver for her work in driving down the delay to diagnosis through education, data and developing pathways.
Jordan Hepburn
Jordan Hepburn
Jordan is an MSK GP Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (APP) working for Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership, NHS Lothian. He has been awarded Silver for his work towards driving down the diagnostic delay through education and pathways.
Bronze Winners
Ipswich Rheumatology
Ipswich Rheumatology
Dr Gudu (Consultant), Sue (Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist), Cheryl (Clinical Data Manger), May (Biologics Nurse Specialist Nurse) and Dr Premraj (Specialist Registrar) from the Ipswich Hospital rheumatology team have been awarded Bronze for their work on reducing the delay to diagnosis through education, pathways and data collection.
Kathryn Rigler
Kathryn Rigler
Kathryn is a Rheumatology Specialist Physiotherapist working for Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. She has been awarded Bronze for her work on reducing the delay to diagnosis through education, data collection and pathways.
Niamh Kennedy
Niamh Kennedy
Niamh is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (AAP) working for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, who received a bronze award for her work in improving diagnostic delay, from clinic and pathway development, promotion of NASS materials and education.
Raj Amarnani
Raj Amarnani
Raj is Sport and Exercise Medicine Specialist Registrar working for University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He has received a Bronze award for his work on driving down the diagnostic delay through promotion of the NASS symptom checker and education around axial SpA.
Heather Harrison
Heather Harrison
Heather is a Rheumatology Advanced Clinical Specialist working in York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. She has been awarded Bronze for her ongoing work towards reducing the delay to diagnosis through education, data submission and pathway development.
