Arthritis News | ARMA

New National Clinical Director

NHS England has appointed Dr Lesley Kay as the National Clinical Director (NCD) for Musculoskeletal.

Lesley brings a wealth of experience to the NCD role as a Consultant rheumatologist at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT, former Chair of the British Society for Rheumatology Clinical Affairs Committee and as the former GIRFT Clinical Lead for Rheumatology.

Outgoing NCD Andy Bennett will be taking on a new role with GIRFT as Clinical Advisor focussing on community MSK services.

We wish them both the very best of luck and look forward to continuing to work with them closely in their new roles.

Financial Boost for MSK Early Career Researchers

Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK) has received an award of over £750,000 from the Government to support its research programme. This funding will enable the charity to increase support for early-career clinical researchers and academic scientists interested in building and expanding their MSK research portfolio.

ORUK supports early-career researchers working on a wide range of MSK-related research projects across the UK and has invested £13.59m in the past two decades on research projects that expand knowledge, improve patient outcomes and pioneer new forms of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management.…

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Promoting MSK Literacy in Young People

This month sees the latest tour of a musculoskeletal themed educational show, co-funded by Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK), that introduces young people to biomechanics and the importance of bone, joint and muscle health. The Research and Test Lab (RATLab) tour uses a combination of science, hi-tech projections and puppetry devised by theatre company Green Ginger. During a visit to RATLab, children interact with a team of engaging characters – mostly rats, dogs and pigs – who use engineering to solve everyday problems.…

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ORUK Announces New Research Fellowships

Applications are open for ORUK research fellowships in partnership with the BOA, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, British Scoliosis Society (BSS) and The British Association of Spine Surgeons (BASS).

Two BOA/ORUK fellowships of up to £65k are available for a project in any area of orthopaedics including basic science, diagnosis, treatment, surgical technology, AI, logistics or audit. The research can be self-contained or part of a wider research programme and should be integral to the applicant pursuing a higher degree.…

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AI powered pain expert – Teesside University

Talk to an artificial intelligence-powered expert about your pain.

A free interactive resource developed using cutting-edge technology to help millions living with persistent pain has been launched by Teesside University.

Academics from Teesside University’s Centre for Rehabilitation worked alongside artificial intelligence (AI) specialist StoryFile to develop a fully interactive digital version of internationally renowned pain management expert Pete Moore.

Described by StoryFile as a ‘conversational video’, AI Pete can interact with viewers, answer questions about persistent pain and how it can be managed, and share his first-hand experiences of living with it.…

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Recent publications on health inequalities

There have been a number of publications and toolkits on health inequalities published in recent weeks. These are not MSK-specific but will include useful information, data and resources for those working in MSK.

Illustrating the relationship between poverty and NHS services is a long read from the Kings Fund.

Health inequalities in 2040
Current and projected patterns of illness by deprivation in England.
The Health Foundation lists chronic pain as one of the 4 conditions projected to increase at a faster rate in more deprived areas.…

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FSEM Diploma in Team care

Are you looking for a qualification that demonstrates your knowledge and clinical application knowledge in athlete and team care?

Sport and Exercise Medicine, including the skills and research coming from Team Care or Sport Medicine has a large-scale application for public health and the NHS. Team Care involves the medical care of injury and illness in sport and exercise. It requires accurate diagnoses, careful clinical examination, experience and knowledge of sport and exercise specific movement patterns.

The Diploma in Team care sets the standard for team care knowledge across sport and exercise medicine.…

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New Oliver Bird Funding for MSK

£6 million of research funding to improve the lives of people living with musculoskeletal conditions.

The Nuffield Foundation, in partnership with Versus Arthritis, has announced £6 million for new research funding to improve the well-being of people living with musculoskeletal conditions in the UK, with a focus outside clinical settings. Applications for the Oliver Bird Fund can consider any stage in the life course; those challenging ethnic, income, gender and other inequalities are particularly welcome, and the Foundation encourages applications from teams across all four UK nations.…

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Refer a patient to NRAS

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) know the immense pressure faced by rheumatology healthcare teams. Let NRAS be the extra team member you need, by introducing your patients to Right Start.

NRAS works in partnership with the NHS to offer its information and support services to patients who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As a Health Professional, all you have to do is submit a quick form to refer your patient to NRAS and they take care of the rest!

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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