Last week ARMA held a Parliamentary launch for the Act Now report on MSK inequalities.
We were delighted to be joined by so many members, contributors to the report and leaders in MSK. There was a palpable energy in the room and a sense of commitment across the breadth of MSK health to tackle inequalities together.
We were privileged to have MP Tom Randall, Chair of the Axial Spondyloarthritis All Party Group in Westminster, host the event. His recognition of the report’s timeliness underscored the importance of the report’s recommendations.
A highlight of the event was hearing from Anthony Gilbert of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, a key contributor to the report. Anthony shared insights on the successes his organisation has had embedding MSK services within local communities and their existing services in order to ensure more equitable access to MSK services in more deprived areas.
Gareth Gault, who provided lived experience expertise to the ARMA inquiry, delivered a poignant speech on the value of co-producing services. He emphasised the necessity of including the voices of those directly impacted by health disparities in the development of solutions. Gareth’s remarks highlighted that meaningful change in MSK services can only be achieved through collaboration with those who understand the challenges first-hand.
The energy, optimism and ideas from everyone attending are a testament to the collective determination to implement the report’s recommendations and will inspire us as we continue work to share the report widely.
Act Now! is not only a call to action, but a framework so that everyone can Act Now to effect change at every level of the MSK landscape. You can read the full report and summary here.