Arthritis Care Chief Executive Appointed As 'Patient And Public Champion', UK

The first 'Patient and Public Champion' to monitor NHS efforts to reach the Government's target of reducing waiting times to 18 weeks has been announced by health minister, Andy Burnham.



Neil Betteridge, chief executive of Arthritis Care will take up the appointment from today (4 May 2007). He will work closely with ministers and the NHS to ensure that patients are at the centre of the 18 week pledge. Mr Betteridge will highlight their needs as reforms to meet the target are implemented across England. He will also consult with patients and the public, and encourage them to influence the reforms locally.



The Government has pledged that, by a deadline of December 2008, all patients can expect to start their treatment within 18 weeks of referral.



Announcing the appointment, the health minister said:



"Our commitment to improving the NHS means that by 2008 all patients will be assured of faster treatment. Not simply another target, 18 weeks captures the whole patient journey - from referral to start of treatment - with many patients seen even more quickly than that.



"This will be a major achievement for the NHS, making it more streamlined and productive as well as leading to a much better experience for patients - and helps change people's lives by improving care and cutting unnecessary delays.



"I'm delighted to appoint Neil Betteridge as patient champion for this important policy. He has an outstanding track record of speaking up for patients and his appointment underlines how we want the NHS transformed into a truly patient led service."



Mr Betteridge said:



"I'm delighted to be asked to take up this important role on behalf of all patients. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for patients and the public to help shape the future delivery of services.



As the NHS changes, it is crucial that patients are right at the heart of any improvements. My role will be to keep the focus on people not just the target.



Currently many people with long term conditions, such as arthritis, are in long queues and the wrong queues. For the first time in nearly 60 years, this initiative will perhaps bring an end to waiting in the NHS" said Mr Betteridge.



Neil Betteridge biography



Neil developed rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 3, which had a major impact on his life for the next ten years or so and continues to inform all his work.



Growing up in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Neil battled through years of intensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy and was one of the lucky few with severe arthritis to regain much of his mobility. He progressed from being a wheelchair user at age 6 to being appointed captain of the school football team at age 11.



Neil studied and taught at Liverpool University for most of the 1980s. Whilst completing his M Phil on the work of T. S. Eliot he became a trustee at Toxteth Victim Support and subsequently took up a paid position with Liverpool Children's Holiday Organisation. Within one year he was made Director of the organisation.



Following a brief spell teaching in Italy, Neil has since worked as a public policy specialist and campaigner on arthritis and pan-disability issues.



Formerly Head of Public Policy and Campaigning at RADAR (Royal Association of Disability and Rehabilitation), he is now Chief Executive at Arthritis Care. He is additionally Chair of ARMA, the umbrella group for arthritis in the UK and it lead for all of their lobbying work for the EU and European Parliament; Chair of the UK government's Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC); and a member of the Commission for Integrated Transport.


He was, until recently, Chair of the PARE Manifesto, the European campaigns network of arthritis patient groups and he has recently completed 4 years as Vice President of EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) as well as a 3 year term of office as a trustee with the Long Term Medical Conditions Alliance.



Throughout 2004 and 2005 Neil served as a 'patient advisor' on the steering group of the Department for Health-sponsored Musculoskeletal Services Framework.



arthritiscare.uk