CEO Update | ARMA

Reflections on opportunities for better MSK health

by Adrian Bradley, CEO ARMA

Throughout my first three months in post, I have been constantly struck by the breadth, diversity, expertise and impact of ARMA’s member organisations. Last week I had the pleasure of being a guest of the British Orthopaedic Association at their Annual Congress in Liverpool. Under the theme of ‘Preventing Harm & Transforming Lives’, I attended inspiring sessions on topics as far ranging as integrating orthopaedic clinical practice with support for patients’ lifestyle modification, reducing unnecessary hospital stays in arthroplasty, calls for a national ACL injury prevention programme and, perhaps most soberingly, our preparedness for war.…

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A turning point for MSK health

– but only if we choose to take it

by Adrian Bradley, CEO, Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA)

I hope you are enjoying the summer.

This month we are pleased to have a guest blog from Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Versus Arthritis.

In her blog, Deborah rightly identifies the huge opportunity presented by the 10 Year Health Plan for England and the serious risk that MSK conditions continue to be sidelined.

As the alliance representing about forty diverse patient organisations and professional bodies across the MSK community, ARMA welcomes the Plan’s ambition but we are under no illusions.…

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ARMA Newsletter blog July 2025

by Adrian Bradley, CEO ARMA

Welcome to the latest ARMA newsletter.

My first month has flown by. I have been delighted to meet many members, partners and stakeholders and to listen to your hopes, ambitions and concerns. I will continue to be in listening mode as we navigate our way towards creating our strategy for 2026 and beyond.

Several people have said to me how difficult it must be to start at such a time of change. It was forever thus.…

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Looking Ahead, Together

by Adrian Bradley, CEO ARMA

Firstly, I would like to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation and good wishes for Sue Brown who left the organization recently after eight years of distinguished leadership. I feel extremely fortunate to be inheriting such a strong legacy of relationships, influence and achievements. Sue can be rightly proud of her contribution, and I thank her for her service and her support to me during the handover period.

I also want to thank the Board of Trustees for their confidence in me, and I look forward to working with them to lead ARMA to continued success.…

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Sadness and Pride

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

This will be my last blog for this newsletter as I step down from the CEO role. Inevitably I’m reflecting on how things have changed in the over 8 years I’ve been in the role.

The position of MSK in NHS England and NHS Wales is stronger. In England we now have a co-ordinated workstream under GIRFT delivering across the spectrum of MSK – children and adults, primary, secondary and community, all MSK conditions. The resource is nothing like other NHS England programmes such as diabetes or cancer.…

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Act Now one year on

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

We have just passed the one year anniversary of the publication of our Act Now report on MSK health inequalities. A good time to evaluate the success of the project. It’s clear that we have made an impact. That people are acting on the key messages and recommendations. It is also clear just how far we still have to go.

When we started the project we were clear that this was not about producing a report.…

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Getting it right for MSK – a win for everyone

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

I’m writing this at the end of a busy week with the launch of our latest ICB report and three significant Government announcements about the NHS. I’m reflecting on what it means for addressing the issues raised by our analysis of ICB Joint Forward plans.

The report highlights that ICBs are not paying sufficient attention to MSK at a strategic level. The majority either don’t consider it at all or focus only on one or two parts of the system in silos.…

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A question of balance

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

Last month I joined about 200 others at a government consultation event for the Ten Year Health Plan. Patient organisations, voluntary sector and professional bodies came together to get updates from the consultation process so far and discuss questions arising from the vision groups’ work.

Around our tables we were asked to consider one of three questions about how the NHS can make the shift to working more in partnership – with patients, communities and the voluntary sector.…

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Not all about hospitals

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

It was fantastic to see the launch in December of a new GIRFT programme to support reduction in community MSK waiting times. A funded programme of activity on MSK to work with 17 integrated care systems (ICSs) with the highest waiting lists for elective community MSK services. The focus is to reduce waiting times for a community MSK appointment; to improve access to MSK treatment and support people back to work.

January saw the launch of the elective care recovery plan, focused on getting us back to meeting the target of 92% of waits for planned hospital treatment being no more than 18 weeks.…

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Three shifts for MSK

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

Last week I was in London with ARMA trustees discussing future plans and opportunities. An optimistic, upbeat meeting full of hope and pride in an organisation that is making a difference. One thing which will make a difference to those opportunities will be the outcome of the Government’s new ten year plan for the NHS.

With the inclusion of MSK in the Major Conditions Strategy we had begun to make progress. It is vital that we don’t lose that.…

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