Arthritis News | ARMA

Aspiring to Excellence to improve axial SpA care

Making quality the standard: ‘Aspiring to Excellence’ award programme targets clinicians determined to improve axial SpA (AS) care

On 1 May 2019, the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS) will open applications for Aspiring to Excellence—an innovative new award programme designed to encourage and recognise service improvement in axial SpA (AS) patient care.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a painful, progressive, life-long form of inflammatory arthritis affecting 1 in 200 adults in the UK, with symptoms usually starting in late teens to early twenties.…

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CEO update – MSK Rebellion: a sustainable MSK system

by Sue Brown, ARMA CEO

MSK services seem to me to operate very like an ecosystem. If any part of the system isn’t in balance, the pressures will be felt elsewhere. No ESCAPE-pain means surgeons spending time with people who don’t need surgery; poor understanding of inflammatory conditions in primary care means more pressure on GPs as people don’t reach the rheumatologist; no Fracture Liaison Service means more fractures and more pressure on hospitals. Always the result of the system being out of balance is a person, in pain, not getting what they need.…

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Your views on health and care technology

NHSX is conducting a short survey to find out about staff, patient and service users’ tech priorities. It takes less than three minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous.

NHSX is a new body which aims to bring the benefits of modern technology to every patient and clinician. It will combine the best talent from government, the NHS and industry. NHSX will aim to create the most advanced health and care service in the world to diagnose diseases earlier, free up staff time and empower patients to take greater control of their own healthcare.…

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New ARMA member: BASRat

BASRaT, the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators has joined ARMA and we are delighted to welcome them on board.

As the UK regulator, BASRaT guides Sport Rehabilitators on all aspects of their role and responsibilities, ensuring professional competency and continued professional development. BASRaT’s mission is to champion, raise awareness and support areas of growth within the profession.

BASRaT works hard to promote the benefits of Sport Rehabilitation and awareness of the profession. Sport Rehabilitators aid people with musculoskeletal pain, injury or illness.…

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New resources for leaders to work together around the NHS Long Term Plan

The Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) has developed free support resources for health, care and voluntary sector leaders who want to drive action through partnership working around the NHS Long Term Plan. The resources include online learning, webinars, workshops, coaching and individual support and are aimed at ICS/STP leads, commissioners, clinicians, and professionals from the voluntary sector.

The NHS Long Term Plan commits local healthcare systems to working in a new way, including a focus on prevention and reducing health inequalities.…

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Guest Blog: Active Hospitals – OUH SEM Pilot

The Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust Pilot

By Dr Christopher Speers, Sport and Exercise Medicine Consultant Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide¹ and it contributes significantly to the worldwide burden of non-communicable disease^{2, 3}. Hospitals, historically, have been dominated by a culture of rest⁴. Promoting rest contradicts the evidence which clearly demonstrates that disease outcomes are better for moving more and that post hospital syndrome, or hospital deconditioning, leads to increased risk and adverse outcomes^{5, 6}.…

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A stronger voice for MSK

CEO update by Sue Brown

March has been a very impactful month for ARMA. My highlight was probably the ARMA roundtable on mental health. The statistics about incidence of mental health amongst people with musculoskeletal conditions don’t surprise me. It’s obvious why long-term pain and difficulty moving would go along with high levels of depression and anxiety. What surprises me is how little support people get with their mental well-being and that’s something ARMA is determined to change.

ARMA members will be discussing what they want to do next on mental health at this week’s members meeting.…

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Evidence into Practice Challenge 2019

Evidence into Practice – Finding the next big idea

Do you have an evidence-based idea to change clinical practice? Apply to the Evidence into Practice Challenge, a call to healthcare professionals and researchers in the West of England.

Evidence-based ideas are sought for initiatives or projects to improve healthcare. The West of England AHSN will work closely with chosen applicants and recompense time for activity that supports the adoption and spread of the initiative.

Karen Luyt, a neonatologist at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, responded to the first call five years ago.…

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Ration Watch – Surgery

ARMA has been working with the Medical Technology Group (MTG) to raise concerns about increasing rationing of joint replacement surgery.

The MTG is a coalition of patient groups, research charities and medical device manufacturers working to improve access to cost effective medical technologies for everyone who needs them. MTG has concerns about treatment rationing in general and have launched the Ration Watch campaign to highlight care inequality and the impact it has on patients’ lives.

Ration Watch aims to expose the scale of rationing and the issues around local commissioning across the UK.…

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ARMA Mental Health Roundtable

In March, ARMA held a roundtable on mental health. We brought together people from the mental and MSK health sectors, both voluntary and statutory to hear presentations from Arthritis Action, NHS England’s Head of Mental Health, a patient perspective and the Haringey IAPT service.

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) is designed to support people with depression and anxiety but has recently been rolled out to include long term conditions. In Haringey this includes MSK pain. People are offered a range of different psychological support such as individual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), guided self help, groups, computerised CBT.…

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