Category: Health Policy

A step change in the priority for MSK

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

I’m delighted to be writing, for the second time this year, about MSK getting a high profile in Government policy. Two months ago I wrote about the Major Conditions Strategy, and now we have a budget which included funding for MSK. By including the word musculoskeletal in such a major annual economic event, the speech has underlined the vital importance of MSK health to our country and our economy.

The budget included three initiatives for MSK:

  • Digital resources for MSK and Mental Health – £310 million over 5 years
  • MSK Hubs – £20 million over 4 years
  • Increase employment advisers in health settings (including MSK services) – £150 million over 5 years

This is a lot of money, although given the numbers of people with MSK conditions, nowhere near as much as it sounds.…

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Major conditions strategy: parity for MSK?

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

Last month the Government announced a new major conditions strategy. In the past ARMA’s response to such an announcement would be “what about MSK? That’s a major condition contributing hugely to the burden of disease in England.” Not this time.

I will admit to being surprised to read the list of six conditions included and find musculoskeletal disorders was one of them. Pleasantly surprised. Finally, in this one document at least, MSK seems to have parity with other conditions.…

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ESCAPE-pain part of framework to reduce community MSK waits

In January 2023, NHS England published “an improvement framework to reduce community musculoskeletal waits while delivering best outcomes and experience”.

Integrated high quality community musculoskeletal (MSK) services are integral to a productive, high-performing healthcare system supporting the management of MSK conditions. Most people with MSK conditions can be diagnosed and well managed in the community through programmes like ESCAPE-pain.

A smaller number require timely referral to secondary care orthopaedic, rheumatology, spinal or pain management services to enable best outcomes.

Most community MSK services have a triage function to support diagnosis and optimise referrals, and/or a therapies function to rehabilitate those who have sustained an injury or are recovering from surgery, as well as to help people best manage long-term MSK conditions.…

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New Community MSK Framework

An improvement framework to reduce community musculoskeletal waits while delivering best outcomes and experience

10 January 2023

A new improvement framework has just been published by NHS England.

It will support integrated care systems (ICSs) to reduce commissioned community MSK waiting times while delivering best outcomes and experience for patients. It includes defining principles, recommended actions across primary, community and secondary care and further resources.

Read the official publication here.

Championing MSK in public health

ARMA CEOVery early in my time as CEO of ARMA I met Nuzhat Ali, who led on MSK public health at what was then Public Health England. Nuzhat is a tireless champion of the importance of MSK health and its central role in public health. “There’s no health without MSK health” she told the ARMA AGM a few years ago.

Steve Brine MP, Chair of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, was recently recently quoted as saying: “If we don’t prevent ill health in this country better than we are, then the NHS in itself is not sustainable and that is a terrifying situation.”…

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Will we be brave enough?

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 17 November, ARMA wrote to the Chancellor to outline the impact of the cost of living crisis on people with MSK conditions and the importance of the NHS for growth in the economy. I don’t think I was alone in fearing that the statement would see cuts in funding for the NHS and social care. Thankfully those fears were unfounded, although many feel that the funding announced was not enough.

We asked three things in the letter:

  • That cost of living support be targeted at those who need it most, including those with health conditions where keeping warm is important.
…

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Failings in osteoporosis diagnosis and care

Parliamentary inquiry finds systemic failings in osteoporosis diagnosis and care 

On Wednesday 30 November 2022, staff members, volunteers and trustees from the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) joined Parliamentarians in Westminster to launch a report based on the findings of the All–Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Osteoporosis and Bone Health’s inquiry into primary care. 

Primary care is the front door to the NHS, with GPs playing a vital role in identifying people at high risk of breaking bones before they happen.…

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Guest blog: People before Technology – Best Musculoskeletal Health for all

by Melanie Martin, Senior Delivery Manager (Innovation) & Digital Lead, Best MSK Health Programme, NHS England

Technology plays an ever-increasing role in our daily lives, including in healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic has made an indelible impact upon the uptake of healthcare technology with 30 million people accessing the NHS app and the opportunity to book repeat prescriptions, access a Covid travel pass and sign up to organ donation.  We have learnt how people adapted quickly to the delivery of musculoskeletal (MSK) services during the pandemic, for example through telephone and video consultations. …

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Core20PLUS5 for young people

NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 approach is now applied to children and young people.

Core20PLUS5 is an NHS England approach that focuses on the 20% most deprived of the national population plus specific communities which experience inequality. It identifies five clinical areas requiring targeted improvement.

Initially focused on healthcare inequalities amongst the adult population, the approach has now been applied to children and young people.

Whilst not covering musculoskeletal health specifically, everyone working in paediatric MSK services should look at the Core20PLUS5 relevant to their own area to help target their work on inequalities.…

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