Category: Arthritis News

Guest blog: Invisible disability at work

by Jane Green BSc. (HONS) Psych., PGCE, Av.Dip. Ed. Child Development, MA Ed.  (Leadership and Management / autism)

Why did I stop working in my professional career?

Two-and-a-half years ago I medically retired. This was after years of pain following full dislocations; half-dislocations; sprains; tears in joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons; and arthritis. I received my diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome 3 (now hEDS) and associated conditions later that year.

As a child, I did have a few problems with joints and did ‘party tricks’.…

Read more of this article

CEO update: Magic happens.

At the end of January, I had the pleasure of experiencing an ARMA lecture for the first time. The lecture itself was excellent. No surprises there as it was delivered by Dame Carol Black speaking on musculoskeletal conditions, disability and employment. If you missed it, you can see the slides and video on the ARMA website. Twitter discussion using #MSKatwork continued into the following days. Between this and the follow-up articles on the talk (such as this one by the CSP), the audience for our message was huge.…

Read more of this article

ARMA Annual lecture: Dame Carol Black

Musculoskeletal conditions, disability and employment

Dame Carol Black is the outstanding expert advisor on health and work and principal of Newnham College Cambridge. Her lecture, delivered in London as part of the ARMA Annual Lecture series, was on progress to date by government, health professionals and employers on musculoskeletal conditions and their impact on employment and a person’s wellbeing.

The lecture and reception was well attended with an interesting Q&A session and lively twitter dialog using #MSKatWork.

You can watch the lecture on this page, where you can also find the accompanying slides for the presentation and photos from the event, or see the video directly via our YouTube channel.…

Read more of this article

HMSA e-news – Giving GPs the Tools campaign

The January edition of The Hypermobility Syndromes Association e-news is available here.

The HMSA will continue raising funds for their ‘Giving GPs the Tools’ campaign (outlined in the December ARMA newsletter) until 31st May 2018. The campaign, which will help people with heritable disorders of the connective tissue, and other hypermobility related health problems access appropriate care more easily, is allowing the HMSA to develop new information and a resources guide. The funds will also assist with the continuing development of professional training in the conditions we support.…

Read more of this article

EULAR Recommendations for imaging in large vessel vasculitis

ultrasound diagram

The European League Against Rheumatism, EULAR, has published a set of recommendations, which look at the use of imaging modalities in primary large vessel vasculitis, including giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis.

The recommendations are intended to advise physicians on the use of imaging modalities (including ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, computed tomography, CT, and positron emission tomography, PET) when making a clinical diagnosis of large vessel vasculitis (LVV), and when to apply imaging for monitoring of disease activity and damage.…

Read more of this article

MSK Medicine explained in new website

The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK has launched a new website including information highlighting what Musculoskeletal (MSK) Medicine is to the public and the healthcare community. There is now a dedicated MSK webpage outlining ‘who sees musculoskeletal medicine doctors’ emphasising that Sport and Exercise Medicine specialists, with MSK skills, treat a wide range of patients from those with a common MSK condition to elite athletes. It also puts MSK Medicine in the context of the NHS and Exercise Medicine, with reference to working examples of NHS MSK services.…

Read more of this article

UK Gout Society at the Welsh Assembly

On 28 November 2017, the UK Gout Society joined forces with Welsh Assembly Members, doctors and other charities to help raise awareness of gout in Wales.

Speaking at the Welsh Assembly, Rhun ap Iorwerth AM, the Plaid Cymru Health Spokesperson who hosted the event, said: “The impact of musculoskeletal conditions in Wales is huge and we have a big job to limit that impact. Working together to raise awareness of gout must play a part. We know that gout is often seriously undertreated and greatly misunderstood.”…

Read more of this article

Portsmouth ARMA spring newsletter and Easter events

The spring edition of the Portsmouth Hospitals’ Department of Rheumatology newsletter is out.

It contains dates and details of a number of upcoming events, groups and meetings, including:

  • Funky Knit Day, a knitting event to raise awareness of Raynauds, 07 Feb 2018 – see the poster
  • Portsmouth Cream Tea & Light Music event, 4 March 2018 – see the poster
  • Portsmouth Easter Tea Dance, 24 March 2018 – see the poster

For more, open and save the spring newsletter (in PDF) here.

RCN Rheumatology18 is next week

The Royal College of Nursing is putting the final preparations in place for the RCN Rheumatology Nursing workshop 2018.

12 Jan 2018
from 11:00 – 15:00

This event will enable specialist nurses to continue to deliver excellent care, follow best practice and inspire colleagues despite continued NHS barriers and difficulties.

The workshop is based on the results of a forum survey which asked you to identify issues relating to the management of rheumatological disease, interventions, treatment and support. The aim is to address these issues as well as develop the unmet need for clinical leadership skills and personal and professional resilience.…

Read more of this article

Pharmacists can play a key role in an integrated patient care team

Guest blog by Robbie Turner, Director of England, Royal Pharmaceutical Society

With people living longer lives, the number living with multiple long-term conditions is rising, leading to billions of pounds in additional health and social care costs. This will be a scenario very familiar to the members of ARMA.

Treatment and support for the growing number of people with long term conditions such as arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions is placing significant demands on the NHS and other public services. Around £15 billion was spent on medicines in 2015/16, which are the most common solution chosen to help manage symptoms for people with long term conditions. …

Read more of this article