Prof Yeliz Prior Wins Abstract Award at EULAR 2025

We're delighted to share that our WORKWELL trial team, led by Prof Yeliz Prior has been recognised with an Abstract Award in the Health Professionals in Rheumatology (HPR) category at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) 2025 Annual Congress.

This large-scale, UK-wide randomised controlled trial evaluated a job retention vocational rehabilitation programme for people with inflammatory arthritis, seeking to provide better evidence-based support for people with inflammatory arthritis.

While the trial found no statistically significant improvement in work productivity compared to the control group, it provided vital insights into the complexity of supporting employment retention in people with arthritis, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team has since co-produced WORKWELL Digital through extensive engagement with patient partners, creating an online version of the intervention to increase access to work rehabilitation.

The WORKWELL trial represents a significant collaborative effort across our research network, including Prof Prior, Prof Alison Hammond, Dr Simone Battista, Dr Angela Ching, and Dr Jennifer Parker (University of Salford), Dr Paula Holland (Lancaster University), Prof Suzanne Verstappen and Dr Martin Eden (University of Manchester) and Prof Karen Walker-Bone (Monash University).

A massive congratulations Prof. Prior and all of the team who have worked on the WORKWELL project. This award at the world's largest rheumatology conference demonstrates the impact and quality of collaborative research across our Centre network.

You can read more about Prof. Prior’s award at the University of Salford’s website.