Clinical Care Standards are a suite of concise statements outlining the level of care patients should expect for a particular clinical condition or pathway, grounded in the latest evidence.

Standards relevant to rheumatology have been developed by the Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (Commission). Links to relevant rheumatology standards can be found below. 

The Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Care Standard helps people with rheumatoid arthritis to know what care to expect and to make informed decisions about treatment in collaboration with their healthcare professional.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Care Standard for Consumers

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common, chronic, rheumatic disease of childhood, affecting 1-2 per 1000 children below the age of 16 years. It is an aggressive inflammatory process in which the immune system attacks joints and in some cases other organs, especially the eyes.

In 2024, the Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Group (APRG) with the support of the ARA, updated the Standard of Care (SOC) for JIA. 

This process involved the invaluable participation of healthcare workers across various disciplines and consumers with firsthand experience of these conditions, reinforcing the standards with real-world relevance. 

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) Standard of Care

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) Consumer care guide

The Commission (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care) have produced Clinical Care Standards on a range of rheumatology topics including:

• Osteoarthritis of the Knee
• Low Back Pain

For more infomation on the Commission's Clinical Care standards, click here.