Garreth | Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance

Act Now Report on MSK Health Inequalities and Deprivation

This week ARMA published the Act Now report of the Inquiry on Musculoskeletal Health Inequalities and Deprivation.

The report highlights the impact of social and economic determinants of health on those living with MSK conditions. People with MSK conditions in more deprived areas develop conditions earlier, have more complex cases, yet face far greater challenges in managing their MSK conditions and accessing quality MSK services.

Act Now aims to address the drivers of poor musculoskeletal health acting on people living in deprivation and crucially it brings a focus to the part health services across the UK can play to address inequalities.…

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Act Now!

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

On Monday of this week, two years of hard work concluded with the publication of Act Now, the report of the ARMA inquiry into MSK health inequalities and deprivation. It’s been a long time since I suggested that we could get more out of the project if we held an inquiry, rather than just writing a report based on a literature review. Despite some challenges along the way, I am so glad that we did.…

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Welsh Government Consultation: Arthritis and MSK Framework

The Welsh Government has opened a consultation on the draft guidance document, Living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions: a framework for the future.

The new framework is one of several tools that will guide service development and delivery for MSK conditions from 2024 to 2028.

The consultation is seeking views to shape the vision, mission and strategy for improving services for people with MSK conditions in Wales and is open for responses until 8th April 2024.

Visit the consultation website for more information or to submit a response.

Your SpAce: Support Self-management for People Living with Axial SpA

Guest blog by Zoë Clark, Programme Manager at the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society

The National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS) Patient Values survey found a need for easily accessible self-management advice for people living with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA). While 77% of people living with axial SpA felt it was very important to receive advice on self-management, only 33% were positive about their own experience. We wanted to bridge that gap to support patients and healthcare professionals to access vital advice on managing axial SpA and the impact it has on a person’s life.…

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New CPD webinar series on MSK conditions

The Institute of Osteopathy is running a series of educational CPD webinars to improve the recognition and management of spinal red flag pathologies for osteopaths and other healthcare practitioners. The first session focused on Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) which was well attended and received. The series continues with osteoporosis and insufficiency fractures, vascular pathologies of the neck, and neurological screening. Healthcare practitioners can book attendance to this webinar for £10 (iO Members can attend for free).

Find out more here.

Osteopathy exhibits at the House of Commons

In early March the Council of Osteopathic Educational Institutions (COEI) exhibited at the prestigious Upper Waiting Hall at the House of Commons. Gaining access to such an influential audience in an election year is a unique opportunity to focus on the future of MSK Health and osteopathy’s role in providing local community MSK care.

For more information visit the COEI website.

ROS Better Bones campaign update

The Royal Osteoporosis Society would like to extend a huge thank you to all their colleagues across ARMA who helped advocate for universal, quality Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) in the build up to the Spring Budget.

Naturally, the ROS was disappointed that the Chancellor missed a golden opportunity in the Budget to launch a Transformation Fund for FLS. However, they will continue making the case with the Sunday Express, whose Better Bones campaign has driven a huge increase in public awareness of what’s at stake.…

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Of course we can

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

The majority of people with an MSK condition will rarely, if ever, need secondary care for that condition. All of them will need primary and community care. This is where people access MSK rehab, self-management support and a wide variety of treatment. Yet the main focus of the NHS remains hospitals. It’s what politicians talk about, what the media covers and where the majority of the attention of local systems focuses.

The King’s Fund has just published a report, Making Care Closer to Home a Reality, outlining why this problem occurs and some possible solutions.…

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Co-production in action – voices heard and lessons learned

Guest blog, with thanks to the panellists Claire Blamey, Gareth Gault and Shabir Aziz for their feedback.

As we prepare for publication of the report of the ARMA Inquiry into MSK and health inequalities, we look back at how the voices of those with lived experience of MSK conditions have been vital – from the initial evidence gathering to discussion of the dissemination plan.

At the inception of the inquiry process we recruited a panel of paid lived experience experts who brought their unique perspectives of different MSK conditions, backgrounds, and experience of the health system and MSK services to discussions.…

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NOA webinar explores Physician Associates in Orthopaedic services

The National Orthopaedic Alliance (NOA) recently hosted a webinar exploring the role of Physician Associates in Orthopaedic Services. This virtual session shed light the integration of Physician Associates into orthopaedic practice and their influence on training opportunities for surgeons.

The webinar discussed the evolving landscape of orthopaedic services, and provided invaluable insights, including the perspective of trainees on PAs in trauma and orthopaedics.

The recording is now available to view here on YouTube.