For Patients
For Patients
BIRD is committed to encouraging greater public awareness of bone and joint diseases and helping patients, their friends, family and colleagues to understand their condition. Our Patient & Public Engagement (PPE) initiative focuses on setting up opportunities to connect, learn and share. People tell us what great value there is in talking to others who understand what they are going through.
Our popular patient information podcasts on different rheumatology conditions feature a variety of experts in their field. This is an ever growing library. The podcasts give you an overview of the condition and medications, research news and tips for self-management. We are also committed to getting patients involved in research by sharing opportunities and offering support. We also run webinars for patients a few times a year. These webinars feature the same specialist speakers from the podcasts and offer another way of learning how to understand and better manage your rheumatology condition. To keep up to date with the podcast releases and webinar dates, sign up to receive our newsletters or follow us on social media, or finally, our website ‘News’ page.
Please join us and share ideas from your perspective, whether you are a patient a family member or friend – we invite and encourage everyone to get involved – you can find us on Twitter and Facebook or email Admin@birdbath.org.uk.
Join our mailing list
To keep up to date with information, events and research opportunities, please join our mailing list.
Type in the following to your web browser: http://eepurl.com/drcjn5 or click on the link button below.
Join our mailing list
To keep up to date with information, events and research opportunities, please join our mailing list.
Type in the following to your web browser: http://eepurl.com/drcjn5 or click on the link button below.
Free Information Sessions
Our popular disease-specific information days feature talks from a variety experts in the field. They give you an overview of the condition and medications, research news and tips for self-management. At present these days are not being held during covid and time pressures on RNHRD staff. We are however offering podcasts and webinars in their place.
We have started with ‘Podcasts’ which are a way of listening to information via your computer, mobile phone or tablet. You can listen here: on our ‘Podcasts for Patients Page‘. We would love to hear what you think as this is a very new area for us and one we hope to build on going forward. Please email Mel ppe@birdbath.org.uk with comments and suggestions.
To sign up for a webinar, please email Admin@birdbath.org.uk. Or follow us on Facebook for up to date information.
Get involved in research
We get lots of requests for help to get patients engaged with research from research active consultants and clinicians and from University researchers. BIRD is also very active in funding rheumatology research. So far we have helped design short surveys for use at information days, found a patient partner for a Rheumatoid Arthritis study, run workshops in Fibromyalgia and Axial Spondylitis and found patients for a Microbiome Study.
Most of our opportunities to get involved in research are posted to our social media accounts or sent through our newsletters.
We also have a Patient Research Panel, where we have a group of patients who are more closely involved in helping researchers gain patient insight. This panel is run by Mel Brooke, our Patient Engagement Director.
If any of the opportunities are of interest to you please email PPE@birdbath.org.uk.
Help support BIRD by making a contribution
Our work is built on the kind donations and bequests of previous generations. If you like what we do and would like to help, please consider giving us a donation, or a gift in memory of someone dear to you, inscribed on our benefactors’ board, or even a legacy. £100 covers our monthly IT costs. £500 covers all the costs of a patient information event. £2000 would pay for a Summer Studentship for a scientific researcher. £10,000 would fund a small-scale pilot research project. Text BIRD to 70460 to donate £5. This costs £5 plus a standard rate message. Or you can donate via our Local Giving page.
Support Us
Our work is built on the kind donations and bequests of previous generations. If you like what we do and would like to help, please consider giving us a donation, or a gift in memory of someone dear to you, inscribed on our benefactors’ board, or even a legacy. £100 covers our monthly IT costs. £500 covers all the costs of a patient information event. £2000 would pay for a Summer Studentship for a scientific researcher. £10,000 would fund a small-scale pilot research project. Text BIRD to 70460 to donate £5. This costs £5 plus a standard rate message. Or you can donate via our Local Giving page.