A new arthritis group, SOAR, is launched in May to address ‘sub-optimal care’ in the UK

A new, multi-disciplinary group called SOAR (Standards of Arthritis Relief) comprising leading GPs, consultants, nurses and pharmacists in the field of arthritis, launched in May to address sub-optimal care of arthritis in the UK, a condition which accounts for 1 in 5 visits to the GP.

The launch of this unique group is particularly timely in the light of survey results presented at the British Society of Rheumatology (BSR), which revealed that 57% of musculoskeletal
pain sufferers are in constant pain. SOAR is committed to supporting primary care teams through the provision of expert advice, education and tools to aid the effective management of arthritis.

The survey presented at BSR in April by the Arthritis Action Group (AAG) questioned 798 patients with musculoskeletal pain about both diagnosis and treatment options and showed that many seeking medical help receive little information, are dissatisfied with the effectiveness of treatment and underestimate the risks involved.

SOAR launched their first initiative, a ‘Standards of Care’ template, designed to help primary care teams implement optimum standards of arthritis care in the UK. The template will provide a user-friendly, comprehensive and concise reference source for primary care teams. SOAR has reviewed current guidance, and gone one step further by developing the template to cover all aspects of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, from informing patients, diagnosis and referral to treatment decisions.

‘Arthritis is a debilitating condition and the impact on patients’ quality of life is often underestimated. The SOAR group was convened to address sub-optimal arthritis care in the UK and has sought input from a multi-disciplinary team to effectively meet this goal.” says Dr Neil Amin, Chair, SOAR.

Copies of the SOAR ‘OA/RA Standards of Care template’ are available from the SOAR hotline 020 7313 6377.

For a downloadable .pdf copy of the template, click here