MSK & Arthritis News

Survey on the effects of COVID-19 and lockdown

Around half of those with arthritis report increased pain during the pandemic
With over half finding it more difficult to access healthcare

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 42% of people living with arthritis reported that their pain has increased [1] according to a survey by UK Charity Arthritis Action looking at the effects of COVID-19 and lockdown on the daily lives of people with arthritis. Considering there are over 10 million people living with some form of arthritis in the UK [i] this would equate to over 4 million people experiencing increased arthritis pain during the ongoing pandemic.…

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Psoriasis Awareness Week 29 Oct – 4 November 2020

This year’s Psoriasis Awareness Week 2020 runs from Thursday 29 October (World Psoriasis Day) to Wednesday 4 November.

This year, the theme will be ‘types of psoriasis’, based around answering some of the ‘unknown knowns’ that came out of the recent Psoriasis Priority Setting Partnership. Over the course of the week, the Psoriasis Association will focus on a different type of psoriasis each day, chosen from those which are most commonly asked about on the helpline. On Wednesday 4 November, the spotlight will be on Psoriatic Arthritis and nails.…

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New Report on workforce challenges

The role of osteopaths as AHPs in the NHS

An independent panel of leading healthcare professionals, chaired by Professor Adrian Newland CBE, has authored a report including its findings on the role of osteopaths as Allied Health Professionals within the NHS, and their potential to provide much needed additional capacity to the delivery of NHS MSK services to improve patient care.

The report was launched at a virtual event with NHS commissioners, at which Sue Brown, CEO of ARMA, joined as part of the panel.…

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NICE behaviour change guideline published

NICE published its final guideline on behaviour change: digital and mobile health interventions on its website . You can also find the supporting evidence, tools and resources as well as all the stakeholder comments. NICE has produced an equality impact assessment to support the guideline.

NICE included the recommendations from this guideline in the NICE Pathway on behaviour change: digital and mobile health interventions, which brings together everything we have said on behaviour change: digital and mobile health interventions in an interactive flowchart.

Roadmap to FCP Practice

Health Education England has published First Contact Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners in Primary Care: (Musculoskeletal) A Roadmap to Practice. The document provides a clear educational pathway from undergraduate to advanced practice for clinicians pursuing a career in primary care.

As MSK first contact practitioners (FCPs) move into primary care, Health Education England is funding the development of supervisors and working in partnership with leading clinical organisations to build capacity.

There is a drop-down list on the HEE website and a link to register for these courses including from ARMA members the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine.

SOMM’s courses for portfolio route supervisors

Great news that the HEE Roadmap to Practice for First Contact Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners in Primary Care (Musculoskeletal) was published on 15 October! The Roadmap is available through the HEE website and provides a clear educational pathway from undergraduate to advanced practice for clinicians wishing to pursue a career in MSK primary care.

SOMM is delighted to be one of the organisations running courses to train supervisors to take clinicians through the portfolio route described in the Roadmap.

Supervisors need to be:

  • Working in MSK as an Advanced Practitioner with a postgraduate Master’s degree;
  • In a current team lead post in MSK and hold a postgraduate Master’s degree in MSK; or
  • Working as a Consultant Physiotherapist working in MSK

The courses will be able to take a maximum of 14 places and are open to a maximum of 2 supervisors per Trust/CCG.…

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Musculoskeletal health now more important than ever

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

At the end of Bone and Joint Week (12 – 20 October) I reflect on how much things have changed in just ten days. It is an increasingly worrying time for both healthcare professionals and people with MSK conditions. The response to Covid-19 has already had a significant impact on the MSK health of the nation. The need for good MSK services has grown. During lockdown people worked from makeshift home offices, were less active and many were afraid to use NHS services even when they needed them.…

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Reaching our goal of more years of life in good health

Blog for #BoneJointWeek from Nuzhat Ali, National Lead for Musculoskeletal Health for Public Health England.

Every October, Bone and Joint Week helps get people thinking about one of the most widespread and pressing health issues of our times – musculoskeletal (MSK) health.

Good MSK health is when muscles, bones and joints are working together to carry out daily functions and activities with ease and without pain or discomfort.   

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way many of us think about our health and wellbeing, especially how we achieve good MSK health.…

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Welcome to new member British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine

ARMA is pleased to welcome another new member, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM). BASEM is a multidisciplinary sport and exercise medicine membership organisation with a core responsibility to provide education and support to its members. BASEM supports the benefits of physical activity in all populations, without discrimination and the importance it plays in health and well-being and its role in both primary and secondary prevention of disease.

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‘Arthritis and You’ Guardian article

On 30 September the Guardian published a pull-out on ‘Arthritis and You’, featuring a number of ARMA members and important topics, including: living with arthritis, why pain is important, why speed is of the essence for inflammatory arthritis diagnosis, how children get arthritis too, what you can do while waiting for joint replacement surgery, and an appeal that rheumatoid arthritis patients must not be left to struggle alone.

See the Health Awareness articles in full here, in particular, ‘Why Pain is Important‘ by Sue Brown, ARMA CEO.