Meet the Team

Alexandra Eden - Forum Chair
Rheumatology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Alex’s rheumatology journey started in 2009 at the East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, where she is now the lead nurse. She completed the rheumatology course at Keele University in 2010, and recently achieved a Contemporary Nursing degree (BSc) and non-medical prescribing qualification in 2020.
Alex has a specialist interest in biologic and targeted synthetic therapies, having managed this service over the past 8 years. Prior to being appointed to the rheumatology forum committee she was co-opted to assist in updating the ¿ìèÊÓÆµ biologics guidance. Alex has an interest in the education of the current & upcoming rheumatology workforce and is co-opted on the BSR education committee. She has provided education and updates locally and nationally.
Alex hopes to use her experience and knowledge to help with the growth and transformation of rheumatology services to ensure they support our nursing staff and are suitable to the needs of our patient cohort.
In the past she has received the NRAS Healthcare Champion Award (2016) & NRAS Rheumatology Team Champion Award (2023).
In her spare time away from rheumatology, Alex is kept busy by her two young children, enjoys playing competitive netball and running.

Lucy Craig
Professional Nurse Advocate
Lucy qualified as a children’s nurse in 1994 and worked across various acute medical wards at the Great North Children’s Hospital (GNCH) in Newcastle upon Tyne before moving into Children’s Rheumatology as a Nurse Specialist in 2012, she enjoyed the work so much she ended up staying there. Alongside the ‘normal’ role as a children’s Rheumatology nurse specialist, she is the transition co-ordinator within her team and works across the region with Adult Rheumatology colleagues to smooth the transfer process of patients when moving from children’s to adult services.
Lucy has initiated many different quality improvement projects both within Children’s Rheumatology but also for the GNCH. She champions transitional care for teenagers and enjoys teaching and is always looking at service improvement ideas. She also won a Practice Improvement award for pioneering the GNCH Learning Disability Passport for the Hospital to support CYP and families.
She is passionate about supporting her nursing colleagues and recently qualified as a Professional Nurse Advocate, she also works alongside the Speak up Guardian as a champion at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals.

Alison Kent
Rheumatology Nurse Manager at Salisbury Foundation Trust Hospital
Alison has been working in Rheumatology for over 25 years and has been living with RA herself for over 30 years. With both a personal and professional interest she feels motivated to educate and raise awareness of Rheumatological conditions and the impact of living with a long-term disease.
Alison is a current member of the ¿ìèÊÓÆµ Rheumatology Forum Committee, which she joined in 2019.
Alison has been involved with several task forces in EULAR including those focused on the monitoring of co-morbidities, information disseminati