We are a small team at NASS, but we do work across a number of areas to try to influence the diagnosis, treatment and care of axial SpA, ensuring that we get a seat at the table whenever possible as key stakeholders.
England
Influencing national policy
In 2025 we were delighted to work with NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time programme as they agreed to co-badge the Axial Spondyloarthritis Playbook: improving time to diagnosis and improving patient experience.
Our Parliamentary work in 2025/2026
In 2025 we held meetings with several MPs to discuss the time to diagnosis, and emphasising the Act on Axial SpA campaign as a blueprint for diagnosis, not just of axial SpA. We have now developed this into a briefing document for any MP to understand the issues around diagnosis and the campaign and will be seeking opportunities to speak to MPs at our Changemaker Award ceremony which takes place in Parliament.
Forming and working with the APPG
NASS has had a steady presence in Parliament over the years, with the most recent success being the formation of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Axial Spondyloarthritis (APPG). The group was co-chaired by Tom Randall MP and Lord Campbell-Savours, who both live with axial SpA (AS). Tom Randall also hosted an adjournment debate in parliament in September to discuss the delay to diagnosis.
Debates, questions and campaigns
In September 2020, Tom Randall led an adjournment debate on the delay to diagnosis which led to a promise of a meeting with the Health Minister. After several delays due to COVID and other political events, we were able to meet in June 2022 with Gillian Keegan MP.
Tom also led a Westminster Hall debate on the time to diagnosis in axial SpA, and later spoke at a similar debate on Work and MSK.
Tom was also able to ask a question in the House of Commons Health Questions on the issue of hydrotherapy pools reopening, securing another meeting with a minister. This then kick started the formation of the Aquatic Physiotherapy and Hydrotherapy Alliance.
Other campaigns and successes over the years include the 2013 launch of ‘AS it is’ campaign, calling for a Clinical Guideline and Quality Standard to be produced by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
An adjournment debate in the Houses of Parliament called by Huw Irranca Davies (former MP) and subsequent meeting with the health minister at the time led to the publication of the NICE Guideline for Spondyloarthritis in 2017, and the corresponding Quality Standard in 2018.
