MSK & Arthritis News

Global rheumatology patient survey – Covid 19

Pain UK would like to alert you to the work of the Covid-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance, an organisation established to “collect, analyze and disseminate information about COVID-19 and rheumatology to patients, physicians and other relevant groups to improve the care of patients with rheumatic disease.”

Rheumatology patients are invited to complete a patient survey, whether or not they have been diagnosed with COVID-19. A worldwide consortium of doctors, scientists and patient groups are seeking your views on the current situation. Tell them how it is for you via this link.

Arthritis Action Webinar “COVID-19 and Arthritis: Live Q&A”

Arthritis Action invites you to a webinar dedicated to addressing coronavirus concerns for people with arthritis.

“COVID-19 and Arthritis: Live Q&A” will take place on Thursday 18 June 2020, 11am – 12pm. 

The webinar will be presented by Arthritis Action CEO, Shantel Irwin, who will be asking their Medical Advisor, Dr Wendy Holden, Consultant Rheumatologist at North Hampshire Hospitals, patients’ most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and Arthritis.

Anyone interested can register here. Attendees are invited to submit questions relating to this topic on or before Friday 5 June 2020, by emailing [email protected]…

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NRAS New2RA and Chatbot

New2RA Right Start

The NRAS New2RA Right Start service supports people newly diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis to understand their diagnosis and how it is likely to affect them. Getting the right, supportive start can help people to make adjustments to their behaviour, lifestyle and health beliefs and understand why self-management is essential, and learn how to make those important first steps to managing their disease effectively.

Further information can be accessed on the NRAS New2RA Right Start service page. This service is essential during this time for those newly diagnosed during the COVID-19 crisis, offering extra support when appointments are being delayed.…

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Could you be an ARMA trustee?

Nominations for the election of ARMA trustees are open!

There are three vacancies and we encourage you to apply. The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) provides a collective voice for the arthritis and musculoskeletal community in the UK. Our vision is that musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders are a priority in policy and practice in the UK. We work collectively and collaboratively with our members – 30 organisations, ranging from specialised support groups for rare diseases to major research charities and national professional bodies.…

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Working Together conference in November

First ever ARMA multi-disciplinary MSK health conference

Working Together to change the face of MSK

30 November 2020

Venue: Cecil Sharp House, Camden, London

ARMA holds its first ever multi-disciplinary MSK health conference – Working Together to change the face of MSK.

This one-day conference is a multi-disciplinary event covering some of the latest trends and practical examples on working together/integrated care for musculoskeletal health, transcending disciplines and boundaries.

The conference will support the delivery of high quality MSK services through a focus on excellent services, from prevention at a population level to excellent specialist services in orthopaedics, rheumatology and pain.…

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NRAS Live and Here for you

NRAS is adapting to these challenging times and has been hosting live broadcasts via Facebook Live and webinars since the beginning of this crisis. You can watch any of the recorded sessions again on the NRAS Live – Ask Your Questions page.

We’ve also launched the Here For You service, linking up people who are in need of a friend during this time of self-isolation. Our trained telephone support volunteers are really able to understand the difficulties people may be facing and the anxieties because they all live with RA themselves.…

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CEO update: Not back but forward

Over the last few weeks I have been so impressed with the way the world of MSK has responded to the extraordinary challenge of the coronavirus outbreak. I have seen everyone working to deliver across professional and organisational boundaries at unprecedented speed. Of course, no one ever wants to face a crisis like this and we can’t work at this pace all the time. But we have shown what can be achieved if we pull together around a common aim.

It’s not been easy.…

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£4 million for musculoskeletal research

Research funding awarded by Nuffield Foundation’s Oliver Bird Fund

The Nuffield Foundation has awarded £4 million to six teams across five UK Universities for research to improve the lives of people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions by influencing policy and practice. Two of the awards, made in partnership with Versus Arthritis, will develop innovative ways to join up MSK data across an area to improve care and service provision. The remaining projects look at different aspects of the causes, consequences, and experiences of living with MSK.…

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Guest blog: MSK First Contact Practitioner roles

MSK First Contact Practitioner roles; are they fit for the future for Primary Care?

by
Amanda Hensman-Crook FCSP, HEE AHP National Clinical Fellow, Consultant MSK Physiotherapist
Neil Langridge FCSP, Consultant MSK Physiotherapist
Laura Finucane FCSP, MSK Consultant MSK Physiotherapist
Chris Mercer FCSP, MSK Consultant MSK Physiotherapist

MSK First Contact Practitioner roles and the advancing practice agenda is moving at pace and as a result, there has been some anxiety around the MSK First Contact workforce. This has been expressed about several aspects of the roles, including:

  • numbers needed to ensure sustainability without wider destabilisation of the MSK workforce
  • where the workforce will come from with the requisite capability
  • concern about governance of the roles
  • who provides the supervision and support
  • a general need to understand the offer of the role to primary care
  • concern from other MSK professions that they are not included in the GP contract reimbursement scheme (DES) and where they might fit in the bigger picture.
…

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SOMM’s alternative course dates

The Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine has taken the step of postponing all its courses scheduled to run in the coming months to the end of June 2020 (see below for Injection Courses information). Alternative dates will be advised as soon as they are available. We shall be keeping the situation under review and will advise on any further steps as necessary.

SOMM would like to thank all frontline and key workers, and all those in support roles, for all they are doing in this unprecedented situation.…

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