MSK & Arthritis News

Delivering the Best MSK Health

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

I write this one year after the first lockdown was announced. It’s been a year of extremes, from the devastating number of deaths to the incredible success of the vaccination programme. For me personally it has been a year of being proud of the community that ARMA exists to represent and support. It has been a year of incredible collaboration and connection.

Our patient member organisations in particular faced a deluge of enquiries, innovated to provide online support and somehow managed to keep vital helplines open.…

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State of health and care: The NHS Long Term Plan after COVID-19

State of Health reportState of health and care: The NHS Long Term Plan after COVID-19

A new report from IPPR shows the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted progress on the NHS Long Term Plan. The report looks at cancer, mental illness, cardiovascular disease and multiple long term conditions, but the findings are equally relevant to MSK services.

The report argues that COVID-19 should not become an excuse for low ambition, and that world-class healthcare must remain the overall goal. To achieve this, the report recommends a package of six ambitious changes designed to do three things:

  • Ensure the pandemic does not cause lasting damage to healthcare services for future generations.
…

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PCRMM Annual Conference – save the date

The PCRMM Annual Conference 2021
Supporting Primary Care and introducing the new FSEM/PCRMM Diploma

18 – 19 November 2021

Following the success of last year’s conference format and the ongoing uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, we will again be running a two-day online conference on the 18/19 November 2021. Save the date!

The conference is aimed at all GPs, GPwERs in MSK and rheumatology, FCPs, nurse practitioners and other AHPs working in primary care. The programme promises to be as informative as last year’s event.…

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Forthcoming PCRMM webinars

PCRMM will be running a series of webinars throughout the year on a variety of subjects. The Society is committed to education and the dissemination of knowledge to help those involved in MSK care improve that care, their own education and generally to promote new findings and advancements.

To this end, PCRMM has put together a series of webinars, led by knowledgeable speakers and experts in their field, on a range of interesting and relevant topics, carefully planned to provide useful information for our members.…

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New Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine

Tues 8 June 2021 – delivered online

Applications are now open from doctors and allied health professionals for a new Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine that sets the standard for MSK knowledge across the entire breadth of community care.

Developed jointly by the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (UK) and the Primary Care Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Medicine Society (PCRMM), the examination and associated qualification recognises excellence in MSK care and provides a benchmark of quality for both service commissioners and patients.…

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HMSA local groups update

HMSA local groups are still meeting virtually and this month’s theme is “Hobbies and Achievements”. It’s where the group get to share what they do for hobbies and explain how they overcome any obstacles with physical restrictions. It’s a bit of a ‘show and tell’ meeting and it’s always great to see how talented and inventive the participants are!

Here are the meeting dates for April:

Group

Date

Time

Group email address

Nottingham

11/4 & 24/4

2:00 PM

[email protected]

Gateshead

17/4

10:30 AM

[email protected]

…

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Volunteering at the HMSA

Due to expansion, the Hypermobility Syndromes Association (HMSA) is looking for a number of people in volunteering roles, with everything from administrative support through to fundraising and trustees required.

There are six categories of recruitment:

  • Volunteer fundraiser;
  • Volunteer administrator;
  • Volunteer bookkeeper/Accountant;
  • Trustees;
  • Social Media Support Team;
  • and Transcription volunteers.

You can browse and apply for the roles here.

Survey findings from NRAS

Summary of article published in Rheumatology Advances in Practice on 5 January, 2021

“Disease impact of rheumatoid arthritis in patients not treated with advanced therapies; survey findings from the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society”

Authors: Elena Nikiphorou, Hannah Jacklin, Ailsa Bosworth, Clare Jacklin, Patrick Kiely

Background

In 2020, NRAS conducted a survey amongst its members and non-members who had RA with a disease duration more than 2 years, who were not on advanced therapies (i.e. biologic/biosimilar or targeted synthetic DMARDs (JAK inhibitors)), with the aim of revealing the everyday impact of living with RA in people not treated with advanced therapies.…

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Tackling Inequalities Fund Panel member opportunity

Versus Arthritis has teamed up with Sport England to help distribute £250,000 grants from their ‘Tackling Inequalities’ fund on behalf of the Richmond Group of Charities. The purpose of the fund is to reduce the negative impact of coronavirus and the widening of the inequalities in sport and physical activity through increasing availability of exercise opportunities in local communities.

The funding will be targeted to help support people with long-term health conditions, Black, Asian minority ethnic groups and lower socio-economic groups.…

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