Best Professional Education Initiative

Summary of work

Winner: Small Steps to Change to implement Treat to Target in rheumatoid arthritis

Small Steps to Change (SSTC) is a revolutionary programme in rheumatoid arthritis allowing change to be broken into small steps, providing low/no cost solutions delivering target-driven regimens (Treat to Target).

Partnership with influential KOLs (including the 2011 European Rheumatology Professional Body (EULAR) chair) led to inclusion of Treat to Target in the latest SIGN guidance and a ‘call to action’ letter in BMJ. SSTC changed routine practice in over 40 UK units with huge improvements in referral rates (10.76 to 2 weeks), assessment completion rates (16.7 per cent to 78.9 per cent to 100 per cent) and fewer patients with high disease activity at referral (40 per cent vs 25 per cent).

Judges comments

Wow! The feedback contained within the supporting materials is seriously impressive. There is some good hard data, which shows the programme is really making a difference. It is really patient outcome focused which was great to see. This entry had some really positive outcomes, which cannot be underestimated.