Purpose:
1. Seek to raise the awareness of ongoing issues affecting patients with Arthritis or Musculoskeletal Conditions, and those that arise in the course of treatment provided by health care practitioners. Ongoing issues are likely to include access to services, conditions affecting children, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, and relevant guidelines and surrounding issues such as non-compliance or an identified lack of guideline.
2. It will aim to identify barriers to change and the measures required to overcome those.
3. Liaise with appropriate agencies, academics and parliamentarians to consider and agree appropriate measures with a view to improvement of provision of health care.
4. Influence policy decisions of the Scottish Government, local authorities and other appropriate agencies to ensure that adequate levels of resources are deployed to address chief issues.
5. Liaise with representatives from NHS Health Boards and other organisations as appropriate such as Arthritis Musculoskeletal Alliance, Scottish Network for Arthritis in Children, amongst others, with regards to current relevant research.
6. Develop links with appropriate officials within UK Government on an as and when required basis.