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ARMA Newsletter March 2024
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Act Now!
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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. The report and its findings are richer and more inspiring than anything we could have written without the inquiry process.
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Your SpAce: Support Self-management for People Living with Axial SpA
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Guest blog by Zoë Clark, Programme Manager at the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society
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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).
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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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Act Now Report on MSK Health Inequalities and Deprivation
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This week ARMA published the Act Now report of the Inquiry on Musculoskeletal Health Inequalities and Deprivation.
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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.
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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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The report provides practical advice and signposting for health systems, MSK services and practitioners in a position to shift the dial in the right direction and implement innovative strategies to overcome barriers to healthcare access and tackle unequal health outcomes in MSK health. It also spotlights organisations already implementing innovative ways to engage with under-served groups.
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Key recommendations from the report include:
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- Getting closer to and knowing your community better – solutions such as moving services into community spaces make them more accessible to under-served groups from deprived areas.
- Developing shared ownership of services through engagement and co-production.
- Using data to identify, tackle and monitor barriers to access and unequal health outcomes.
- Targeting intensive and tailored supported self-management where need is greatest.
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You can read the full report here.
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Please contact us at cmonaghan@arma.uk.net if you have any questions about the report or would like resources to help share the report with your own audiences.
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Osteopathy exhibits at the House of Commons
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In early March the Council of Osteopathic Educational Institutions (COEI) exhibited at the prestigious Upper Waiting Hall at the House of Commons. Gaining access to such an influential audience in an election year is a unique opportunity to focus on the future of MSK Health and osteopathy’s role in providing local community MSK care.
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New CPD webinar series on MSK conditions
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The Institute of Osteopathy is running a series of educational CPD webinars to improve the recognition and management of spinal red flag pathologies for osteopaths and other healthcare practitioners. The first session focused on Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) which was well attended and received. The series continues with osteoporosis and insufficiency fractures, vascular pathologies of the neck, and and neurological screening. Healthcare practitioners can book attendance to this webinar for £10 (iO Members can attend for free).
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Physician Associates in Orthopaedic services webinar
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The National Orthopaedic Alliance (NOA) recently hosted a webinar exploring the role of Physician Associates in Orthopaedic Services. This virtual session shed light the integration of Physician Associates into orthopaedic practice and their influence on training opportunities for surgeons.
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Royal Osteoporosis Society’s Better Bones campaign
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The Royal Osteoporosis Society would like to extend a huge thank you to all their colleagues across ARMA who helped advocate for universal, quality Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) in the build up to the Spring Budget. Naturally, the ROS was disappointed that the Chancellor missed a golden opportunity in the Budget to launch a Transformation Fund for FLS.
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Societal Inequalities and Disparities in Pain Management
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The latest Airing Pain Podcast, Societal Inequalities and Disparities in Pain Management, is available now. This edition investigates the significant inequalities and disparities in treatment among primary care pain management services. Does gender, ethnicity, disability and locality affect access and quality of pain care? Listen now.
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NRAS is recruiting
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NRAS is seeking candidates for multiple roles:
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- 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.
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NRAS Live: Meet the Team
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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.
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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!
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Welsh Government Consultation: Arthritis and MSK Framework
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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.
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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.
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National Voices’ Manifesto for Equitable Healthcare
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In what is very likely to be an election year, National Voices have shared their Manifesto for Equitable Healthcare – which puts forth three general election priorities. Co-produced with National Voices’ members, the manifesto is supported by a common theme – ensuring that the NHS works for all, not just those who know how to navigate the system or who come from more privileged backgrounds.
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ARMA Calendar
| 18 March 2024 |
Publication of Act Now: MSK Health Inequalities and Deprivation report |
| 21 March 2024, 6pm |
NASS Your SpAce support - making axial SpA medication decisions |
| 21 March 2024, 6.30-8.30pm |
Versus Arthritis Core Skills in MSK Care online |
| 26 March, 6pm |
NASS livestream webinar - University life with axial SpA |
| 27 March 2024, 7:15pm |
NRAS Live: Meet the NRAS team |
| 28 March 2024, 6.30-8.30pm |
Versus Arthritis Core Skills in MSK Care online |
| 31 March 2024 |
Closing date for NRAS Director of Innovation & Service Delivery applications |
| 8 April 2024 |
Welsh Govt's Living with arthritis and MSK framework consultation closes |
| 16 April 2024, 1pm |
NASS Your SpAce support: appointments |
| 17 April 2024, 6pm |
NASS members' webinar: Diet and inflammatory arthritis |
| 7 May 2024 |
FSEM Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine setting exam |
| 11 May 2024 |
SOMM Injection Therapy CPD day, 1-day course, Liverpool |
| 24 May 2024 |
NRAS #WearPurpleForJIA |
| 28-30 June 2024 |
CCAA Family Residential Support Weekend, Dorset |
| 15-21 July 2024 |
NRAS JIA Awareness Week |
| 26 July 2024, 5pm |
Call for evidence closes for NASS Gold Standard |
| 16-22 Sept 2024 |
NRAS RA Awareness Week |
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We know that many people value our newsletter, webinars and the fact that we provide a voice for MSK health. We are increasingly asked: given that our membership is made up of organisations, how can an individual support ARMA? For this reason, we have set up a new supporter scheme.
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