Objectives To determine whether direct access to hospital review initiated by patients with rheumatoid arthritis would result in improved clinical and psychological outcome, reduced overall use of healthcare resources, and greater satisfaction with care than seen in patients receiving regular review initiated by a rheumatologist. Design Two year randomised controlled trial extended to six years. Setting Rheumatology outpatient department in teaching hospital. Participants 209 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis for over two years; 68 (65%) in the direct access group and 52 (50%) in the control group completed the study (P = 0.04).

Careful construction means that the RASE examines beliefs in potential ability to perform tasks, rather than actual ability, performance or outcome expectancy. It shows good face validity and reliability, plus reasonable construct validity and sensitivity. Further studies are needed to support the validation of this new scale.

Background-Although many disability questionnaires measure fact very eYciently, they do not allow for consideration of the relevance of that disability to the patient. Data suggest that professionals misinterpret the relevance of disability for the patient and thus, also, the outcome of treatment. Objectives-Firstly, to examine agreement on levels of importance for the items on a validated disability scale (Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and Modified HAQ (MHAQ)), within groups of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, health professionals, and controls. Secondly, to see if functional items important to patients are included in the HAQ, and whether the HAQ items are important to patients. Methods-25 patients with RA, 25 rheumatology health professionals, and 25 healthy controls were asked to rate the importance of the HAQ (20 items) and MHAQ (eight domains). Before seeing the HAQ, patients were asked to generate items of function important to them. Results-Only a slight-fair agreement within each group was found for the level of importance of the HAQ and MHAQ, and also within any combination of the groups ( values <0.38). Most of the functional items valued by patients were contained on the HAQ (70%), and no HAQ items were consistently rated as unimportant. Conclusion-Patients, professionals, and healthy controls do not agree on the importance of disabilities. These data support the need to assess the personal impact of disability, as well as disability itself. Individual importance of disability weighted by level of disability is proposed as a model for calculating the personal impact of disability. A new tool to assess the personal impact of disability is being developed.