E025 Strengthening the connective tissue disease and vasculitis nursing workforce: findings from the SpecNet UK survey

Abstract Background/Aims Specialist nurses play a vital role in the management of connective tissue diseases (CTD) and vasculitis, providing expert clinical care, patient education, and multidisciplinary coordination. However, this highly skilled workforce remains small and often lacks structured educational pathways, mentorship, and professional recognition. To address these challenges, SpecNet, a UK-based network, was established to support CTD and vasculitis specialist nurses through education, research engagement, and professional development. This survey aimed to explore current training experiences, support mechanisms, and role-related challenges among these nurses to inform future initiatives and advocacy efforts. Methods An online survey was conducted between January and March 2025 among UK-based specialist nurses working in CTD and vasculitis. The survey explored their training experiences, support mechanisms, and role-related challenges. Although there are several hundred rheumatology nurses nationally, only a small number work specifically within CTD and vasculitis. A total of 32 responses were received from nurses with a range of experience (0-11+ years) and roles, including Specialist Nurse, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Research Nurse, and a Consultant Physiotherapist. Results Training and Education: Most respondents (75%) accessed non-academic training such as British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) courses, and 58% had completed in-house competency programmes. Despite 42% finding training “quite easy” to access, 33% reported difficulties, citing barriers such as cost (67%), high work pressure (58%), and poor dissemination of educational opportunities (50%). There were no differences based on geographical location. Support Systems: Peer support (83%) and in-house shared learning (83%) were the most commonly utilised support mechanisms. Formal mentoring and shadowing were less frequent (33%), highlighting a gap in structured professional support. Role Challenges: Many nurses (67%) identified limited time for patient consultations as a key challenge. Coordination of multidisciplinary care was frequently reported as difficult (58%), impacting holistic patient management. Educational Needs: There is strong demand for enhanced specialist nurse training on disease activity assessment tools, red flag recognition, pharmacological treatments, and psychosocial care relevant to CTD and vasculitis. Conclusion This survey highlights significant gaps in education, mentorship, and protected time for CTD and vasculitis specialist nurses across the UK. Addressing these barriers is essential to sustain and strengthen this small but vital workforce, ensuring high-quality, patient-centred care for people with rare autoimmune diseases. SpecNet will continue to lead collaborative efforts to develop accessible training, structured support, and national advocacy for role recognition and career progression. Disclosure D. Finney: Honoraria; Novartis, UCB. L. Parker: None. F. Hall: None. E. Htut: None. R. Benson: None. T. Ngcozana: None. H. Guest: None. M. Whitlock: None. T. Youngstein: None. S. Dass: None. M. Roberts: None.