MSK & Arthritis News

Arthritis Action’s World Arthritis Day campaign

To mark World Arthritis Day on 12th October, Arthritis Action ran a week-long campaign on social channels to raise awareness of arthritis and highlight the impact a year living with the COVID-19 pandemic has had on people living with long-term pain conditions, like arthritis. This included the launch of a new video, where Arthritis Action members and volunteers Leigh Walmsley and Lucy Morley-Williams share their inspiring stories of living with arthritis during a difficult year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.…

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Versus Arthritis Core Skills webinars and courses

Versus Arthritis is running several webinars in the coming months:

Versus Arthritis MSK bitesize webinar
Wednesday 8 December 1-4pm

During this webinar the trainer will take you on a rapid run through of 10 MSK topics that present frequently in primary care. £55 / £50 for members of the Versus Arthritis professional network.

Versus Arthritis Chronic pain and the NICE guidelines webinar
Thursday 13 January 6-8pm

Managing chronic pain can be one of the most difficult aspects of primary care for both doctors and patients.…

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Edgar Stene Prize 2022 competition

EULAR bannerThe late Edgar Stene, who had severe ankylosing spondylitis, was a great promoter of co-operation between doctors, patients and community workers. The EULAR Edgar Stene Prize Competition runs yearly in his memory and honour. First prize is EUR 1,000 and the winner will be invited to attend the EULAR Congress in 2022. Second prize is EUR 700 and third prize is EUR 300.

The prize will be awarded next year to the winning essay on the topic:

“How treating my RMD has influenced my hopes for the future”  

EULAR are encouraging people to write about their personal experiences on the competition topic, answering the questions:

  • What were the biggest challenges and what motivated you along your journey?


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Patiently Waiting

Independent Age, a charity for those in later life, has launched a new report titled ‘Patiently waiting: Older people’s experiences of waiting for surgery’. The report highlights the challenges for older people in England waiting for surgical procedures, and the impact waiting has on their mental, emotional and physical health. It also features what older people would like in terms of support and information as they wait for surgery.

Waiting times for treatment have been increasing over the past five years.…

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Panorama NHS: Wait or Pay

The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England has hit a record high of 5.61 million, as the NHS struggles to clear the growing backlog of cases caused by COVID-19. In a BBC Panorama programme on 27 September, Victoria Derbyshire met some of those on the waiting list and heard about the profound effects it is having on their lives.

Watch the programme

 

Building back inclusively

NHS reportThe NHS Confederation has published a briefing on Building back inclusively: Radical approaches to tackling the elective backlog.

There is evidence suggesting that waiting lists have grown more rapidly in more deprived areas during the pandemic. There are good reasons to believe that the current approach to elective care, whereby patients are treated in the order they present for care, exacerbates inequalities and worsens health outcomes. The briefing sets out a package of measures, including the politically uncomfortable step of proactively growing the waiting list to address this.…

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Collaboration is for life

This month sees Bone and Joint Week and I am looking forward to cutting the ribbon at our virtual launch event and declaring the week open. It’s a week of celebration of the importance of musculoskeletal health and its role in enabling us to live independent healthy lives. It’s a chance of all of us to come together and celebrate the role we play in promoting good MSK health and support for those with MSK conditions. All of us, those living with MSK conditions, professionals and patient organisations must be partners if we are to realise ARMA’s vision.…

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Upcoming My AS, My Life Facebook live sessions

My AS, My Life is a resource hub from NASS to help you build the confidence and skills you need for those times when you have to manage your axial SpA (AS) condition on your own.

It includes self-management guides, videos, blogs and links to a whole range of issues covering both your physical and mental health. 

Each event will be hosted live on the NASS Facebook page, then uploaded to the My AS, My Life webpage.

Here are dates for the upcoming NASS Facebook live sessions:

  • Thurs 14 Oct, 13.00: Foot health for people with axial SpA, with Dr Lindsey Cherry
  • Weds 20 Oct, 12.00: Pilates for axial SpA ‘improver’ session, with Ruth Larkin
  • Tues 26 Oct, 10.00: Relaxation session, with Ali Potter
  • Weds 3 Nov, 13.00: Acupuncture for pain, with Ian Appleyard
  • Weds 10 Nov, 13.00: Looking after your axial SpA in the winter, with Colin Beevor
  • Weds 17 Nov, 18.00: HIIT exercise session, with Josh Poole
  • Weds 24 Nov, 13.00: Women and axial SpA, with Dr Helena Marzo-Ortega

 

Join the BJW online launch event and panel discussion

arma logoWe’re holding an online event to launch Bone and Joint Week:
What can help MSK health nationally, regionally and locally, now more than ever? 
12 October at 12.30pm-1.45pm

We know that good musculoskeletal health means better wellbeing for individuals and communities, but with the challenges on the system and its workforce, how can we accomplish this? Join us for this fast-moving discussion of key points of what can help. The event marks the start of Bone and Joint Week 2021.…

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BackCare Awareness Week 4 – 8 October 2021

“Putting our backs into it…”

With an estimated 540 million people in the world suffering with low back pain at any one time, It remains one of the leading causes of years lived with disability, and the biggest single cause of disability on the planet today.

It will therefore come as no surprise that it is also the largest cause of work absences, accounting for more than 12 million days lost every year in the UK, alone. Back pain presents a major challenge to health systems and employers alike, and costs the NHS and the UK economy billions of pounds every year.…

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