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ARMA Newsletter April 2020: Coronavirus edition

Coronavirus (covid-19) newsletter

With everyone’s activity focussed on coronavirus (covid-19), this newsletter concentrates solely on this, collating the latest sector-wide intelligence. Our usual format with member news not related to coronavirus will resume next month.

CEO update - Working together

CEO update - Working together
by Sue Brown, ARMA CEO
When people are scared they do one of two things – reach out for support and support others, or look after number one. We’ve seen lots of examples of both recently. ARMA members have chosen the first approach. They’ve been sharing information, working together to solve some common problems such as how to advise healthcare professionals working in private practice.…
Read more

Webinars to watch

If you weren’t able to attend our live webinars series, you can watch the recordings on www.arma.uk.net/webinars.
The most recent webinar is ‘Paediatric rheumatology: lived experience and psychological needs

NICE resources

NICE will publish new, rapid guidelines on the active management of coronavirus (covid-19) infection for rheumatology. NICE is also reviewing guidance on ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in relation to impact on coronavirus (covid-19) illness. Please see this page for the latest publications: https://www.nice.org.uk/covid-19

Key coronavirus MSK resources

The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is a fast-moving situation. There is a plethora of guidance available. ARMA is responding, coordinating directly with NHSE and alliance members on key advice and issues.

ARMA has created a webpage for coronavirus (Covid-19) designed to provide easy access to the most relevant NHS resources and musculoskeletal guidance documents. This document is live and we are reviewing and updating it regularly, as appropriate.

Visit our Coronavirus info webpage.
We are providing regular updates to our members via email and on our social media channels, too.

Coronavirus information for people with MSK

Patient charities continue to experience high volumes of calls from concerned people with musculoskeletal conditions. Patient charities are responding with specific information and guidance, including virtual Q&A and risk calculators.

Here’s a roundup of some of the online help people can refer to:

Fibromyalgia: www.fmauk.org/coronavirus

Hypermobility Syndromes Association (HMSA): https://www.hypermobility.org/news/covid19-resources

National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS): https://nass.co.uk/managing-my-as/covid19-coronavirus/

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS): https://www.nras.org.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nras.org.uk/here-for-you

Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK (SRUK): https://www.sruk.co.uk/about-us/news/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-advice-our-community/

Versus Arthritis: https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2020/march/coronavirus-covid-19-what-is-it-and-where-to-go-for-information/

Information for patients and parents of children and young people and Coronavirus (Covid-19):

Children with a musculoskeletal condition and their parents are understandably concerned about coronavirus (covid-19) and their wellbeing. The following websites may be useful.

Scottish Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology Network (SPARN)
Information for parents and patients on children and young people and Coronavirus (Covid-19):
https://www.sparn.scot.nhs.uk/

Children’s Chronic Arthritis Association (Kids with Arthritis incorporating JIA Matters)
Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/CCAAorguk/.

Self-management and exercice resources

For people with musculoskeletal conditions, NHE England and Improvement are supporting these self-management resources to provide people with the most effective chance of recovery with the best advice, guidance and exercises for musculoskeletal pain. These resources, supported by NHSE/I, incorporate information from the MSK leadership group which also includes: The British Orthopaedic Association (BOA), The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR), The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), Versus Arthritis and the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA).

http://www.csp.org.uk/mskadvice

Stay active at home

If people are staying home but feel well and don't have symptoms of coronavirus (covid-19), it's important to keep up levels of physical activity. This guide, from the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) contains some simple advice, as well as the Moving Medicine resources, to help stay active at home. https://www.fsem.ac.uk/staying-active-at-home/

Health professions' resources

For this newsletter, we’ve received some specific online resources from our alliance members from health profession organisations, listed below.

British Association of Sport Rehabilitators: https://www.basrat.org/home/news/page
British Chiropractic Association: https://chiropractic-uk.co.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/
British Dietetic Association: https://www.bda.uk.com/
British Orthopaedic Association: https://www.boa.ac.uk/ (select from latest news)
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: https://www.csp.org.uk/news/coronavirus
CSP remote working resource: https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/covid-19-guide-rapid-implementation-remote-consultations
College of Podiatry: https://cop.org.uk/news/coronavirus/
Institute of Osteopathy: https://www.iosteopathy.org/covid-19/
The Royal College of Chiropractors: https://rcc-uk.org/
The Society of Sports Therapists: https://society-of-sports-therapists.org/news/
You can also check the websites of all our healthcare profession members here.

Chronic (persistent) pain resources

Chronic (persistent or long-lasting or recurrent) pain significantly impacts individuals, their families and carers. For people with pain, the day-to-day concerns of living with and managing pain are of the highest importance, more so than the underlying condition. Here are some resources on pain available to people at home.

Pain toolkit There are some free video resources; there are also workshops now being delivered online. There may be a fee. http://www.paintoolkit.org/

Pain Physio Association See https://ppa.csp.org.uk/news/2020-03-24-pain-management-resources-during-covid-19-response.

ARMA Calendar

Postponed BRS Clinical Training Course: Osteoporosis
Postponed FSEM-NCSEM Joint Conference Sheffield
Postponed Health and Inactivity 2020 conference, RSM
Postponed NRAS Gathering, Edinburgh
27 Apr 2020 NRAS Webinar: Keeping Physically Active with RA
2 May 2020 World AS Day
5 May 2020 NRAS Webinar: Managing Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis
26 May 2020 NICE Medical Devices Regulation applies
13 June 2020 NASS Members Day - online
6-8 July 2020 Bone Research Society AGM - TBC
24 July 2020 Aspiring to Excellence programme 2020 applications close
7-13 Sep 2020 RA Awareness Week (p'poned from June)
26 Sep 2020 NRAS Gathering, Edinburgh (p'poned from June)
10 Oct 2020 NASS Voices Newcastle
12 Oct 2020 Annual ARMA Lecture, London
6 Nov 2020 Wear Purple for JIA Day (p'poned from June)
12-14 Nov 2020 PCRMM Society Conference
14 Nov 2020 NASS Voices Bristol
25 Nov 2020 Health and Inactivity 2020 conference, RSM
30 Nov 2020 ARMA conference Working Together
21 Apr 2021 FSEM-NCSEM Joint Conference, Sheffield (p'poned from 2020)
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