Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Influencing policy and care together for best lifelong musculoskeletal health
CEO update by Sue Brown
One of the things I love about my job is the variety of things I get involved in. The wide scope of what is covered by musculoskeletal health and the variety of ARMA members, partners and stakeholders means no two days are ever the same. August has been a month to prepare for the exciting variety of activity we have planned including our annual lecture, a roundtable on pain, an event on physical activity and more webinars.…
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A new campaign, We are Undefeatable, launched on 2 September from Sport England and associated partners including Versus Arthritis.
The campaign aims to help people with health conditions find ways to get active. With a long term condition you are two times more likely to be inactive. Physical activity plays a powerful role, it can help manage 20 or more conditions and reduce the risk of many health conditions by up to 40%.
Sport England are challenging the existing narrative and working with partners to challenge the status quo.…
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Following initial policy direction in the Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s green paper in July, on Friday 16 August the Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock announced an evidence-based review into the NHS Health Check service. Alongside suggestions that checks are personalised in future, the review will consider ‘increasing the range of advice the checks can offer – for example, prevention of musculoskeletal problems’. This is a brilliant opportunity to make sure that people are routinely asked about the health of their muscles, bones and joints at 40 years of age, and are provided with advice to support their musculoskeletal health.…
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Charity Founder, Ailsa Bosworth MBE steps down after 18 years as CEO of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society to take on a new role as National Patient Champion for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) announced that Ailsa Bosworth MBE, the charity’s Founder and CEO stepped down as CEO at the organisation’s AGM on 26 June and took on a new role as National Patient Champion. Clare Jacklin, who worked with Ailsa Bosworth for the last 12 years, took over as CEO from 27 June 2019.…
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by Jill Hamilton, Professional Engagement Manager, National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society
On 22 July 2019, the government quietly published their green paper Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s. There has been a lot of commentary in the media, although it has been hugely overshadowed by activity in Westminster and the appointment of a new Prime Minister.
What is a green paper?
A green paper is a consultation document. This means that this isn’t the final version and so people both inside and outside parliament are able to comment on policies being proposed.…
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by Sophia Steinberger, Health Intelligence Analyst and Jonathan Canty, Policy Officer, Versus Arthritis
How many people have musculoskeletal conditions in the UK? How are these conditions affecting their lives? What is the breakdown by age, gender, and condition? What is the impact of MSK conditions on work, health services, and the wider economy?
This month Versus Arthritis published the annual State of Musculoskeletal Health 2019 to help answer these questions and many more. The report presents a collection of the best available data on the prevalence, risk factors, comorbidities, and impact of MSK conditions in the UK, to help further the understanding about the people living with and affected by these conditions.…
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by Jonathan Canty, Policy Officer, Versus Arthritis
The second cohort of MSK Champions at Versus Arthritis has started their 18-month leadership development programme at the well renowned Ashridge business school. Through the skills acquired on the programme, mentorship and a multi-disciplinary network of peers, the Champions will be supported and coached to drive forward a local service-improvement project to improve MSK health care provisions in their local area.
“It has already given the confidence to face difficult situations that potentially stand in the way of improving care.…
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The Foundation for Research in Rheumatology (FOREUM) launches a new study.
FOREUM considers studies on sex- and gender-related issues of key importance as they may help to better understand the pathogenesis of rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases as well as to better interpret peoples’ clinical presentation and disease course. The grant aims at instigating research, which improves our knowledge on the influence of gender on pathogenesis, clinical presentation and disease course of RMDs.
Letters of intent can be submitted until 10 September 2019.…
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Interventions to increase physical activity
We know that keeping active is important for maintaining MSK health. The challenge is always how to encourage people to be more active. This themed review from NIHR provides some evidence about what works (and what doesn’t).
The review outlines evidence from over 50 studies of what is effective in getting people more active. Evaluations range from programmes in schools and communities to changes in transport and the environment, which are designed to promote greater activity.…
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This new resource
Social prescribing improves outcomes for people by giving more choice and control over their lives. It is effective at targeting the causes of health inequalities and is particularly useful for people who need more support with their mental health, have one or more long-term conditions, are lonely or isolated, and/or have complex social needs that affect their wellbeing.…
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