Arthritis News | ARMA

Could you be a 2020 MSK Champion?

Dates for the next Versus Arthritis MSK Champion programme are now live on their website!

Following the successful launch of Versus Arthritis’s Musculoskeletal Champions programme in 2018, they’re recruiting the third cohort of inspirational leaders committed to championing change in musculoskeletal (MSK) health care.

If your application to this programme is successful, you will be coached to develop your personal leadership skills, and drive forward a service improvement project with an MSK focus.

Applications open from 30 March 2020.
Find out more here.

NICE guideline on safe prescribing and withdrawal management

NICE guideline: Safe prescribing and withdrawal management of prescribed drugs associated with dependence and withdrawal

The final scope and equality impact assessment for this NICE guideline have now been published, along with all the stakeholder comments that were received during consultation and our responses to these comments.

NICE identified ARMA as a stakeholder for this topic and ARMA is able to comment on the draft guideline when it is available. Please contact us should you have an interest in this topic and are a member.…

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NICE guideline on workplace health

Workplace health: long-term sickness absence and capability to work

NICE published this final guideline on the NICE website. You can also find the supporting evidence, tools and resources as well as all the stakeholder comments NICE received during consultation and the responses to these comments.

The recommendations from this guideline have been included in the NICE Pathway on Managing long-term sickness absence and capability to work, which brings together everything NICE said on Workplace health: long-term sickness absence and capability to work in an interactive flowchart.…

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Medical Devices Regulation and waiting times

Medical Devices Regulation from 2020

On 26 May 2017 the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR 2017/745) was published, with the aim of replacing the current Medical Devices Directive (MDD 93/43/EC). Following a transition period of three years, this regulation will be applied in full from 26 May 2020.

The BOA has recently published its position statement on the MDR. They welcome the drive to improve the rigour and regulation of novel devices and procedures for the benefit of patients. However, the BOA raises some particular concerns with regard to legacy devices, regulation of different types of device, value of registry data in evaluating devices and long term monitoring.…

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Fibromyalgia survey for healthcare professionals

Can you help us improve healthcare for people with fibromyalgia in the UK?

Professor Gary Macfarlane and Dr Rosemary Hollick of the PACFiND study team are looking for healthcare professionals who see patients with fibromyalgia to take part in a short online survey.

This survey will help PACFiND understand current provision of NHS services for people with fibromyalgia.

PACFiND (PAtient-centred Care for Fibromyalgia: New pathway Design) is a project aimed at developing new pathways of care for people with fibromyalgia.

Please click here to complete this survey.…

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NICE: Guselkumab for treating active psoriatic arthritis

Draft Scope Consultation

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been asked to consider an appraisal of guselkumab for treating active psoriatic arthritis after inadequate response to DMARDs ID1658.

NICE invited organisations to take part in the consultation to discuss the draft remit and scope. The organisations selected as stakeholders are listed here and the draft scope that is being consulted on can be found here.

The consultation closes on Wednesday 18 December 2019. If you have any queries regarding this scoping exercise or would like to be involved you can contact Michelle Adhemar, Scoping Project Manager at scopingta@nice.org.uk…

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Welcome to the National Axial Spondyloarthrititis Society

by Jenny Brodie, Senior Communications & Brand Officer, NASS

Today (01/11/2019) we re-launch our charity as the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society.

For 43 years the NASS has supported people affected by ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatologists can now diagnose people using MRI before the disease causes bone changes so treatment can start a lot earlier. They now use the term axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA), which includes ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

This summer our members voted unanimously in favour of changing our name to reflect these changes.…

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We must give future generations the gift of healthy ageing

Guest blog by Dr Alison Giles, Associate Director for Healthy Ageing, Centre for Ageing Better and Public Health England; and Elaine Rashbrook, Consultant Specialist, Life Course, Public Health England.

In October this year, Public Health England (PHE), together with the Centre for Ageing Better (CfAB) launched the Consensus Statement on Healthy Ageing. Over 70 organisations, including ARMA, have signed up and pledged to take action on the five principles set out in the Statement.

The average age at which people report a health condition or disability that interferes with daily life is just 62. …

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National Academy for Social Prescribing

October saw the launch of a new National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), to champion social prescribing and the work of local communities in connecting people for wellbeing. Its objectives include exploring new ways of sourcing statutory and non-statutory funding and brokering relationships between different sectors. Given the prevalence of MSK conditions, it is important that social prescribing has something to offer for MSK.

The NHS Long Term Plan includes plans to recruit over 1,000 trained social prescribing link workers by 2020 to 2021, with the aim of 900,000 people being referred to social prescribing schemes by then.…

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Bone and Joint Week review

Bone and Joint Week in October helps get people thinking about one of the most widespread and pressing health issues of our times – musculoskeletal health and the role each person in improving it. This year ARMA’s member organisations, Public Health England, NHE England, NHS Confederation and many other organisations collaborated during the campaign using #Bonejointweek on Twitter to spread the message.

The daily infographics in this social media-led campaign were often retweeted, and we were pleased to be the most retweeted tweet on World Arthritis Day.…

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