It’s no secret that the NHS is on its knees and struggling to cope with many pressures, some linked to the pandemic such as backlogs, some to other issues such as workforce shortages and inability to discharge patients from hospital. As a consequence, there are changes happening to delivery of outpatient care and it’s essential that those living with a long-term condition learn to manage their disease/s as well as possible and make the most of the very small amount of time in a year that might be spent with a rheumatology team.…
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MSK & Arthritis News
Research opportunities with ORUK
Orthopaedic Research UK aims to fill the most important gaps in research funding in bone, joint and muscle well-being. They fund innovative research projects in the UK that expand knowledge, improve patient outcomes and pioneer new forms of diagnosis and treatment.
To find out more about ORUK’s latest joint funding opportunities for the MSK community please visit the Joint Partnership Funds page on the oruk.org website.
Arthritis Action launches podcast for people living with arthritis
Arthritis Action has launched the first series of its Arthritis Action podcast. The podcast covers a wide range of topics to help people living with arthritis, and those caring for them. In each episode, we will talk to members of the charity, various experts and healthcare professionals.
Each episode lasts thirty minutes, with new episodes released every two weeks. The episodes already available cover the subjects of: work and arthritis, planning and pacing, exercise and activity, communication, and everyday life with arthritis. …
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Serial Casting: bringing the team together
Orthopaedic Research UK and the Royal College of Podiatry have produced a series of podcasts called Serial Casting. The series explores collaboration and team building between podiatrists and other healthcare professionals including orthotists, physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgeons and others, all in the interests of our patients.
Championing MSK in public health
Very 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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PCRMM Webinar – Live Well with Pain
This compelling webinar will be given by Frances Cole, from Live Well with Pain. In 1996, Frances and colleagues set up the first primary care based pain management programmes in the UK.
The outcomes found people with pain had significantly less anxiety, depression, improved physical health and, most of all, their confidence to cope with their lives despite the pain had doubled.
Frances’ webinar will shed more light on this and explain how they developed the resources and website and what is available for GPs and FCPs to use.…
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NOA Virtual Wards concept webinar
Webinar: Are Virtual Wards Applicable to Elective Orthopaedic Surgery?
Wednesday 18 January 2023, 1:00pm – 2:15pm
The next National Orthopaedic Alliance webinar will look at the virtual ward concept. Virtual wards (“hospital at home”) is an established pathway for many medical conditions in respiratory and cardiac medicine and also to a lesser extent in surgery. The Government is encouraging engagement and setting targets for Integrated Care Systems (ICS’s) to adopt these pathways in an effort to reduce pressure on hospital beds.…
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Sport Rehabilitation is now part of a global profession
BASRaT registered sport rehabilitators are now part of a healthcare profession with international standards, international recognition and international opportunities.
BASRaT has become a full member of the Athletic Training, Therapy and Sport Rehabilitation International Agreement. The Agreement ensures comparable best practices, quality education and professional standards and enables sport rehabilitators to apply for evaluation to work overseas.
This global arrangement plays a key role in optimising care, injury prevention and rehabilitation. It supports the rights of patients and the public to achieve their potential to live well.…
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Webinar – getUBetter in MSK Physiotherapy setting
On 19 January 2023, getUBetter is running a webinar with Somerset MSK Physiotherapy service practitioners to discuss their experiences of implementing the getUBetter digital self-management tool across their clinical services. They will share the results of their evaluation of the app’s impact across the service, where they found a 50% reduction in patients needing physiotherapy after the getUBetter app was given to those on their waiting list.
Digital self-management support for patients on physiotherapy waiting lists
19 January 2023
12:30 – 13:30 GMT, online
The webinar will provide opportunities for interactive discussion about the benefits that are being realised in this setting.…
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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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