Events & Meetings | ARMA

National Clinical Audit – Collection of case studies

BSR have produced a collection of case studies which highlight and share best practice between the rheumatology services that took part in the National Clinical Audit for rheumatoid and early inflammatory arthritis.

Following the publication of the second annual report in July 2016, BSR undertook an analysis to identify providers which had performed well in relation to NICE Quality Standard 33 and, specifically, each of the statements within the standard. These providers were contacted and asked to submit case studies to explain how they had achieved these results and confirmation that their clinical lead was happy to provide peer support to other units.…

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NOS Fracture Liaison Services – a key and proven measure

Fracture Liaison Services hold key to addressing crisis in osteoporosis, attendees at National Osteoporosis conference hear

The growing crisis in osteoporosis causing 300,000 debilitating fractures and costing the NHS £1.9bn every year can be effectively addressed by implementing and improving Fracture Liaison Services throughout hospitals and clinics across the UK, attendees at the National Osteoporosis Society conference in Birmingham heard in November.

Dr Kassim Javaid, Consultant in Metabolic Medicine at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust – who spoke about Fracture Liaison Services at the conference – said: “The enormous personal cost of the often debilitating fractures caused by osteoporosis and the financial impact on our already under-pressure health service will only intensify as our population ages.…

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New MSK alliance in Wales

Arthritis Care Wales is looking for representatives from voluntary sector organisations who would like to join a new MSK alliance, with the aim of sharing knowledge and working together to shape the policy agenda. If you are interested in hearing more, please contact HywelE@arthritiscare.org.uk.

Save the date: Arthritis Care Week 2017

Plans are underway for next year’s Arthritis Care Week, which will take place from 8-14 May.

Portsmouth Rheumatology Winter Newsletter

The Winter newsletter from the Department of Rheumatology, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, is out now.

It includes: tips and advice for keeping well; introducing new consultants; details of awards; a carer resource pack; drug documentation; fatigue advice; and the calendar of local events.

Click here to open the newsletter. [PDF, 931 KB]

Getting to Grips Programme

The Department is also pleased to announce that the successful “Getting to Grips with Arthritis and Connective Tissue Disease” programme will start at the Petersfield Community Hospital in October 2016.…

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NASS Patients’ Choice for good health and care practice

The AS-it-is Patient Voice & Patient Choice campaign launches on 2 November 2016 in the Houses of Parliament.

It aims to:

Promote the upcoming National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guidelines for Spondyloarthritis
Celebrate existing good practice by health care professionals
Promote written care plans

NASS believes proper implementation of the Guidelines will help to improve the current 8.5 year average delay to diagnosis for people with axial spondyloarthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

NASS are celebrating good practice by healthcare professionals through our Patients’ Choice Awards.…

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RCN Rheumatology Forum Study Day 2017

The RCN Rheumatology Forum is thinking about running a study day in 2017. We’d love to know what you think of the idea, so we’ve created a short survey in order to gather your thoughts.

The link to the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/8DK23LJ and it should take no more than three minutes to complete.

If you have any questions about using the survey, you can contact RCN Rheumatology Committee Member Polly Livermore at polly.livermore@gosh.nhs.uk

In the meantime, why not follow us on twitter at @RCNrheumforum.…

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BackCare’s calendar of events for 2016/2017

National BackCare Awareness Week
3^rd – 7^th October 2016
‘Caring for Carers’

BackCare is working to help the UK’s carers with this year’s BackCare Awareness week.
For information about the event and how to order your BackCare Awareness Week pack,
please visit: http://www.backcare.org.uk/news/caring-carers-backcare-awareness-week/

The BackCare Christmas Carol Concert
12^th December 2016
The Queen’s Chapel, 6:30pm

Queen’s chapel of the Savoy, Savoy Hill, Strand, London, WC2A 0DA
Tickets £18; donations for refreshments welcome.

To pre-order tickets please call 020 8977 5474
or visit http://www.backcaretrading.org.uk/…

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Transforming care for people with MSK conditions

by Dr Jill Firth, BHPR President, Consultant Nurse in Rheumatology and Director for Service Improvement at the Pennine Musculoskeletal Partnership Ltd in Oldham.

Over the past 20 years of working as a special ist nurse, I have witnessed first-hand the changing face of care for people with Musculoskeletal conditions (MSK) – particularly Rheumatoid Arthritis – leading to better outcomes for patients.

This can, in part, be attributed to advances in treatment strategies, including biologic therapies, but is also a consequence of better access to care provided by a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) comprising consultant rheumatologists, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and podiatrists as a core nucleus.…

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Summary of the Fibromyalgia event in the Parliament

On the 11^th May 2016, a Fibromyalgia Awareness event took place in Parliament, hosted by Andrea Jenkyns MP, and organised by Fibromyalgia Action UK (FMA UK).

The event was well attended by MPs, researchers, healthcare professionals, students and people living with fibromyalgia, their families and carers. There will be some exciting outcomes of this event resulting in greater collaboration of different stakeholders in the fibromyalgia field: patient organisations, healthcare professionals, researchers and policy makers.

During the event Dr Toby Garrood, a consultant from the Guy’s Hospital fibromyalgia clinic, gave an overview of the award-winning and excellent fibromyalgia multidisciplinary service, which can act as a role model to be replicated easily and for low-cost in rheumatology departments of hospitals across the country.…

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Guest Blog: Looking back to move forward

by Colin Beevor, Matron and Service Manager, Musculoskeletal OPD Services

They say “it’s good to talk” and after the inaugural ARMA Portsmouth Network Meeting, I would agree.

Although leading up to the event you are always worried that you will not get the numbers turning out – I’ll say here that planning was the key to success – I shouldn’t have worried. A small number of the ARMA Local network got behind the event, giving their support and assisting with the details.…

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