We are now very close to Bone and Joint Week, which begins on 12 October. It’s a chance to remind everyone of the fundamental importance of MSK health. Today I learned that there is some evidence that people with hip and knee arthritis who don’t receive treatment may die early due to cardiovascular conditions. It makes sense. If you are in too much pain to be active your general health will suffer. Add to this the impact of depression, isolation and loneliness, all of which also affects physical health.…
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MSK & Arthritis News
Guest blog: Social prescribing – connecting people with communities
by Simon Chapman, Deputy Director, Personalised Care Group, NHS England.
Twelve years ago I was working for a charity just north of Kings Cross. My office looked out on a derelict area of forgotten buildings and toxic land. Over the next 10 years, things gradually changed as the infrastructure was renewed: old buildings were renovated and new spaces and buildings were created for people and communities to visit, use and inhabit. Now, where there was wasteland, parents watch their children play in the Granary Square fountains.…
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ARMA Treasurer
Could you be the new treasurer of ARMA? This is an ideal opportunity for someone who wishes to gain experience of serving as a charity treasurer. As a small charity, ARMA’s finances are relatively straightforward, so you don’t necessarily need to be a highly qualified accountant. The skills and knowledge required might have been gained through financial qualifications, running a business or previous treasurer experience.
An interest in improving health services is desirable, but we do not require any previous experience of working in health services.…
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New BOA Guidance on Fracture Related Infections
The BOA is pleased to launch its newest BOA Standard (BOAST) on ‘Fracture Related Infections’ (FRI).
The BOA Trauma Group has produced this document, which is supported by the Orthopaedic Trauma Society and the British Limb Reconstruction Society.
It is available online here.
Measuring patient outcomes using PROMs
The Institute of Osteopathy has published a case study into the use of Patient Reported Outcome Measurement (PROMs) to measure patient outcomes after osteopathic care.
There is a need for osteopaths to collect robust outcome data from their patients about the care provided, to allow reflection and promote good patient management. Patient data will help the osteopathic profession and individual osteopaths understand more about the response patients have to treatment and ultimately improve patient care.
Read the PROMs impact report here.…
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HMSA website relaunch
The new and improved hypermobility.org
The new HMSA website is something a lot of people have been working on in the background for quite some time, a process complicated by the collapse of the old site at the worst possible moment. TeamHMSA is bursting at the seams with excitement, not least because of some of the new functionality the site has, including:
- A brand new dedicated Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) section.
- Simple content submission – if you love writing about your experiences/blogging, you will be able to send content directly to us
- Fundraisers can set up their own pages/events, and anyone can donate directly.
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MSK Pearls and Red Whale events
Versus Arthritis and Red Whale (the GP-Update course providers) are working together to bring healthcare professionals a fantastic new range of free musculoskeletal education, specifically designed to help improve your confidence and skills in supporting people with MSK conditions and to gain valuable CPD points.
Coming soon:
- Specially curated MSK Pearls that cut through the clutter and focus on the important issues you shouldn’t miss, as well as the small things that might make your lives easier and your patients’ lives better.
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Therapy Expo 2019
BASRaT is an event partner at this year’s Therapy Expo.
Therapy professionals are under increasing pressure to help relieve the burden on frontline NHS services, dealing with patients presenting with MSK, back, and joint pain. The conference programme is dedicated to key areas including MSK, sports injuries, biomechanics and neuro rehabilitation.
BASRaT not only has a stand at the expo, we are also holding our AGM on the second day of the conference. Therapy Expo takes place on 27 and 28 November at the NEC, find out more at www.therapyexpo.co.uk…
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Have you visited Moving Medicine yet?
Last October, Moving Medicine was launched by the Honourable Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The free, evidence-based resources, available at movingmedicine.ac.uk support high quality conversations on physical activity across a broad range of chronic diseases including musculoskeletal pain, inflammatory rheumatic conditions and primary prevention, to mention a few.
The resources are all developed with experts, healthcare professionals and patients, and are endorsed by professional bodies and charities, including ARMA. Whether you have 1 minute, 5 minutes, or more minutes to speak with patients about physical activity, Moving Medicine will help support this. …
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Guest blog: Rethinking activity and movement in care homes
by Catherine Holmes, National Service Improvement Manager, Anchor
I was thrilled to read Sue Brown’s (CEO, ARMA) September blog and the proposed plan for an event on physical activity. The importance and benefits of staying active is already widely accepted and understood in terms of maintaining joint movement, bone and muscle strength and this is especially important for residents living in care homes. The challenge for care is to create opportunities for people with a wide variety and often multiple and complex health needs such as musculoskeletal, limited or a lack of mobility and living with dementia to keep engaged and active.…
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