Champions in Primary Care Programme

Champions in Primary Care Programme

This is the place to go to find out more about our Champions in Primary Care Programme.

We are creating a cadre of clinical champions in primary care and community services whose work ensures that axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) is higher within the clinical reasoning of primary care professionals, so that patients who present with suspected axial SpA are identified at the first presentation and urgently referred to rheumatology.


Please reach out to the Gold Standard team: goldstandard@nass.co.uk

A warm welcome to our Champions in Primary Care

A warm welcome to our Champions in Primary Care

Last week, 12 primary care professionals started their journey on our new service improvement and leadership programme – Champions in Primary Care.

The programme is part of our Act on Axial SpA campaign which was launched in 2021 to drive down diagnostic delay from 8.5 years and achieve a Gold Standard time to diagnosis of just one year.

The Champions will work to ensure that axial SpA is higher within the clinical reasoning of primary care professionals, so that patients who present with suspected axial SpA are identified at the first presentation and urgently referred to rheumatology.

Meet the NASS Champions in Primary Care

Meet the NASS Champions in Primary Care

Introducing the first twelve participants that will be part of the programme for the first two years between now and 2024. 

Each of the NASS Champions in Primary Care set out who they are, what they do for a living, why they want to be a NASS champion and what they hope to achieve from the programme.

Here we profile them with personalised biographies.

Champions in Primary Care

Champions in Primary Care

We are creating a cadre of clinical champions in primary care and community services whose work ensures that axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) is higher within the clinical reasoning of primary care professionals, so that patients who present with suspected axial SpA are identified at the first presentation and urgently referred to rheumatology.

Programme participants will embark on a two-year development programme.

  • They will receive leadership development support, training in the theory and methods of quality improvement and assistance with identifying and implementing improvement projects.
  • They will work together in a national learning network to foster community-building, the exchange of ideas and good practice and act as catalysts for change.
  • They will co-create a body of knowledge, methods, tools and experience and work to share their learning with primary and community services across the UK.
  • We will seek to engage regional decision makers and connect to musculoskeletal policy at national level – this wider system involvement will be key to successful dissemination.

Introducing the NHS Transformation Unit Team

Introducing the NHS Transformation Unit Team

Introducing the delivery team for the Champions in Primary Care programme through the NHS Transformation Unit. 

The NHS Transformation Unit (TU) is an internal NHS team working alongside health and care clients to deliver major change programmes since 2015. They work in partnership with their clients to transform care and health outcomes for people and communities, empowering change from within. They offer support over the whole cycle of transformation – preparing for, designing, mobilising, and implementing change.

The NHS TU are also the NASS delivery partner for the Aspiring to Excellence programme.

Here we profile Lucy, Alex and Helen who will be delivering the technical elements of the programme around Quality Improvement and Leadership development.

 

Symptoms starting slowly

Pain in the lower back

Improves with movement

Night time waking

Early onset (under 40)