Arthritis News & Musculoskeletal News from ARMA's Members

Co-production works well locally – let’s ensure it happens nationally

Guest blog by Rachel Power, Chief Executive, Patients Association

At the Patients Association, we’ve seen the transformative power of shared decision making and patient partnership.

Work we’ve done in partnership to empower patients with musculoskeletal conditions by giving them the tools to make informed treatment choices demonstrated how patient partnership delivers for patients and the NHS.

That project with patients, healthcare professionals, the Patient Information Forum and Nottinghamshire ICB focused on removing barriers to shared decision making. As a collective, participants reviewed patient resources – some already developed, others in development – designed to support patients’ decisions.…

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The TIPTOE Study into knee/hip pain

Do you or someone you know have knee or hip joint pain that is impacting daily life?

The TIPTOE research study is aimed at people 70+ with knee and / or hip pain, comparing a new support package, which aims to give people the knowledge, confidence and skills to live well independently, with standard care.

If you decide to take part, you will be put at random into one of two groups:

TIPTOE Support programme: this includes having up to 6 personalised coaching sessions with a trained healthcare practitioner and you will also receive a copy of our ‘living well with joint pain’ book.

…

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Welsh Government Mental Health Inquiry

The Welsh Government has opened a public consultation on its draft Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The consultation will close on 11 June 2024.

You can find full details of the consultation via this link to the www.gov.wales website.

Senedd Health Committee Obesity Inquiry

The Senedd Health Committee is holding an enquiry into the ‘prevention of ill health – obesity.’

The call for evidence runs until 7 June 2024.

You can find further details on the inquiry and submit evidence to the Committee by following this link.

NRAS is recruiting

NRAS is seeking candidates for multiple roles:

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Director of Innovation & Service Delivery
Fundraising & Events Officer

NRAS is seeking an inspirational, innovative and resilient leader who can represent NRAS externally as Chief Executive Officer, building on existing relationships with all stakeholders as well as creating new ones.

The Director of Innovation & Service Delivery position will fill the role of Head of Services, Delivery & Innovation to lead the NRAS Services team.

Visit the NRAS ‘Work for us’ page for the job descriptions and details of how to apply.

NRAS Live: Meet the NRAS team

In this month’s NRAS Live, the team at NRAS introduce you to their new Senior Policy Officer, Sadé, who has lived with RA for the past 2 years. Sadé joined the organisation in February and has hit the ground running on the prescription charges petition and Martha’s Rule. Tune in to hear Sadé’s story, how she manages her RA, what she will be focusing on in the coming year with NRAS and how you may be able to get involved!

The live event will take place on Wednesday 27th March 2024 at 7:15pm.…

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Act Now Report on MSK Health Inequalities and Deprivation

This week ARMA published the Act Now report of the Inquiry on Musculoskeletal Health Inequalities and Deprivation.

The report highlights the impact of social and economic determinants of health on those living with MSK conditions. People with MSK conditions in more deprived areas develop conditions earlier, have more complex cases, yet face far greater challenges in managing their MSK conditions and accessing quality MSK services.

Act Now aims to address the drivers of poor musculoskeletal health acting on people living in deprivation and crucially it brings a focus to the part health services across the UK can play to address inequalities.…

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Act Now!

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

On Monday of this week, two years of hard work concluded with the publication of Act Now, the report of the ARMA inquiry into MSK health inequalities and deprivation. It’s been a long time since I suggested that we could get more out of the project if we held an inquiry, rather than just writing a report based on a literature review. Despite some challenges along the way, I am so glad that we did.…

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Welsh Government Consultation: Arthritis and MSK Framework

The Welsh Government has opened a consultation on the draft guidance document, Living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions: a framework for the future.

The new framework is one of several tools that will guide service development and delivery for MSK conditions from 2024 to 2028.

The consultation is seeking views to shape the vision, mission and strategy for improving services for people with MSK conditions in Wales and is open for responses until 8th April 2024.

Visit the consultation website for more information or to submit a response.

Your SpAce: Support Self-management for People Living with Axial SpA

Guest blog by Zoë Clark, Programme Manager at the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society

The National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS) Patient Values survey found a need for easily accessible self-management advice for people living with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA). While 77% of people living with axial SpA felt it was very important to receive advice on self-management, only 33% were positive about their own experience. We wanted to bridge that gap to support patients and healthcare professionals to access vital advice on managing axial SpA and the impact it has on a person’s life.…

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