Psoriasis UK calls for a new approach to rapid access to psoriasis care

New position paper ‘Transforming care for people with psoriasis: delivering outcomes they deserve’ sets patient-defined principles for improving access to the right care, at the right time.

Psoriasis care is failing many patients, despite the availability of safe, effective and affordable treatments supported by robust long-term evidence of safety and efficacy. Treatment advances have outpaced the systems designed to deliver them, meaning many patients do not gain timely access to highly effective treatments that can dramatically improve their lives.

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Psoriasis UK today launches a new position paper entitled Transforming care for people with psoriasis: delivering outcomes they deserve, calling for a more coordinated and patient-centred approach to the way care is delivered to people living with psoriasis, to ensure they get the right treatment at the right time.

The paper sets out what “rapid access to care” should mean for people with psoriasis – and makes clear that it is about much more than being seen quickly for a first appointment.

The paper calls for people with psoriasis to have timely access to the right expertise throughout the course of their condition, including when their needs change or their treatment is no longer working. This includes timely diagnosis and treatment, ongoing treatment optimisation, clear escalation routes and rapid re-entry to specialist care when needed.

The position paper has been informed by qualitative insight from more than 220 people living with psoriasis, alongside clinical guidance and published evidence. It was developed through a UK-wide steering group involving people living with psoriasis and healthcare professionals across dermatology, primary care, nursing and pharmacy, and is supported and co-badged by the NHS England programme Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT), the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), the British Dermatological Nursing Group (BDNG) and the Primary Care Dermatology Society (PCDS).

Georgia Sewell, who has lived experience of psoriasis and contributed to the steering group for the paper, said:

“As someone who has lived with psoriasis for many years now, I was honoured to be part of the steering group for such an important project. I’m particularly proud that the finished paper keeps people with psoriasis at the centre of every recommendation that has been made.

It’s made me excited about the future of psoriasis care, and hopeful that this will make a meaningful difference to people’s treatment and, ultimately, their quality of life.”

Dr Julia Schofield, Chair of Psoriasis UK and Clinical Lead for the position paper, added:

“Rapid access is not simply about being seen quickly, it’s about having access to the right expertise and starting the most effective treatment when you need it, with clear plans for treatment, follow-up and what happens if your condition changes. 

There is no single model that will work for every NHS service.  Our aim is to set out the principles that should underpin good rapid access to psoriasis care and show how these could be delivered in different settings.” 

The paper identifies five patient-defined principles for rapid access to care:

• Timely access to the right expertise
• Personalised treatments and a treat-to-target approach
• Integrated psychological and holistic support
• Defined patient rights and expectations of care
• Continuous, planned care with clear escalation and rapid re-entry when needs change

Psoriasis UK is calling for these principles to be used to support local conversations about how psoriasis services are organised and delivered.  The paper includes three illustrative models, while recognising that local services may adopt different approaches or develop their own models that meet the same patient-defined principles.

It also argues that success should be measured by outcomes that matter to people with psoriasis – including disease control, quality of life, psychological wellbeing and patients’ experience of care – rather than process measures alone. 

Helen McAteer, Chief Executive of Psoriasis UK, said:

“There has been growing interest in how we can provide faster and more appropriate access to care for people with psoriasis, but different ideas about what a rapid access model should look like. 

We felt Psoriasis UK had an important role to play in bringing the patient perspective into that discussion.  This position paper is not about promoting one particular clinic or service model.  It is about setting out what people with psoriasis should be able to expect from their care, and providing a practical framework for local services to consider how they can deliver it.”

The launch takes place at the British Dermatological Nursing Group (BDNG) Annual Conference in Harrogate on Tuesday 13 October 2026.

UCB has provided support for this project but has not contributed to the content of the clinical consensus statement.