New research aiming to help people live well with arthritis

This year, Arthritis UK awarded over £1.6 million to three new projects tackling inequalities and improving care for people with arthritis and chronic pain. Read more about these new research projects below.

Understanding what people need from palliative and supportive care to help them live well with inflammatory arthritis - Professor Candy McCabe - Dorothy House 

Currently, there is no guidance for rheumatology and palliative care (PC) teams to work together, and this gap has never been studied. This project will explore how palliative care can better support people with inflammatory arthritis throughout their lives, including the last 1,000 days.  

What will the researchers do?  

The research, carried out at Dorothy House, a palliative care home, will identify unmet needs and develop recommendations through interviews with patients, surveys of healthcare professionals across rheumatology, PC, primary and community care, and focus groups with stakeholders.  

How will this benefit people with arthritis? 

Findings will highlight gaps in care and inform future clinical practice and research, ensuring people with inflammatory arthritis receive more coordinated, person-centred support at every stage. 

Engaging with Black Communities in Southampton: Understanding of living well with pain co-created with the Black Communities is Southampton - Professor Tamar Pincus - University of Southampton 

Existing research and routinely collected data indicate that Black people in Southampton - including those from British Caribbean, British African and other Black backgrounds (as defined by NHS ethnicity categories, including mixed Black backgrounds) - experience higher levels of musculoskeletal pain and are more likely to face additional challenges such as poverty and poor housing. Despite this, they access only around half the pain support received by other groups. 

What will the researchers do? 

Building on previous work, funded by Arthritis UK, that developed De-Stress Pain - a treatment focused on improving wellbeing through personalised activities and coaching - the research team will work together with the Black Community to understand their needs in living well with pain and cocreate treatment that is reflective of their needs. Around 20 participants will trial the approach and provide feedback, ensuring it is culturally relevant to different ethnic communities within the black community and inclusive before a full-scale trial.  

How will this benefit people with arthritis?  

This study will generate vital insights into why this community does not receive equitable care and inform changes in service design to improve equity in pain management locally and nationally. 

PEACS project - Scaling up a holistic approach to supporting people living with chronic pain and arthritis - Ms Jessie McCulloch - Kings Health Partners 

This project will scale up and evaluate PEACS (Pain: Equality of Care and Support in the Community), a holistic programme originally codesigned in Lambeth with the local Black community to address the physical, psychological, and social aspects of pain. PEACS is delivered through partnerships across health and community services and combines workshops, one-to-one assessments, and multidisciplinary reviews to create inclusive spaces that build trust and support self-management. A two-year pilot showed reduced isolation, fewer GP visits, and less reliance on medication. 

What the researchers will do?

With new funding, the team will adapt and test PEACS in three sites outside London, focusing on those experiencing poverty, marginalisation, mistrust or digital exclusion with arthritis. They will assess outcomes such as symptom management, quality of life, and equity of access to understand how PEACS works in different communities. 

How will this benefit people with arthritis?

The aim is to build evidence that can inform future commissioning of equitable and inclusive personalised care for chronic pain. By adapting PEACS for new settings, the project will help ensure that people with arthritis, particularly those from underserved communities, can access support that meets their needs more effectively. 

Professor Lucy Donaldson, Director of Research said… 

“At Arthritis UK, we want every person with arthritis to be able to live better with their condition, right now. We are committed to ensuring that every person with arthritis can access the support and care they need, when they need it, wherever they are and at whatever stage of life. Too many people still face unacceptable delays, barriers and inequalities in their journey through the healthcare system. This must change. 

That’s why I’m proud that we’re investing in three innovative projects focused on reaching those whose needs have traditionally been overlooked, including people receiving end-of-life care, Black communities with chronic pain and those living in disadvantaged areas living with pain. By strengthening care pathways across all parts of the system and improving support for people with arthritis in the greatest need, we can make a real and lasting difference to people’s lives.” 

Researchers! Living Well 2026 Funding Call – Now Open 

After a successful first round of funding we are excited to announce our new Living Well 2026 funding call. 

£2 million is available to support applied health and social care research contributing to optimising the ability to live well following diagnosis or treatment of arthritis. This should take in to account the long-term combined impact of arthritis on a person's physical, psychological and social health.