HEALTHCARE CHAMPIONS FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

That this House congratulates the 20 winners of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society's Healthcare Champions awards for their dedicated support and care of people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); notes that specialist multi-disciplinary rheumatology teams across the UK provide crucial support and a high standard of care for 400,000 people in the UK living with this extremely painful and disabling condition; notes with concern that many specialised rheumatology teams and services are under threat from NHS reforms, funding restrictions, proposed clinic closures and cuts in services; and calls upon the Government to ensure that the very special support and care that specialists, multi-disciplinary rheumatology teams provide to RA patients and their carers is maintained and not undermined by Lord Darzi's review of the NHS, the World Class Commissioning Initiative and other ongoing or planned NHS reforms.