Category: Health Policy

Consultation on proposals to amend the ABPI Code and the PMCPA Constitution and Procedure

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has been working on changes to the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry and the PMCPA Constitution and Procedure.

The proposed changes follow work done by a group chaired by Hugo Fry, Sanofi UK Country Chair and General Manager Sanofi Pasteur, established by the ABPI Board, as well as feedback from member companies, patient organisations and others.

The requirements of the ABPI Code of Practice and its administration by the PMCPA demonstrate the commitment of the pharmaceutical industry to benefiting patients by operating in a professional, ethical and transparent manner. …

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NICE consultation: PRP injections for osteoarthritis of the knee

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will be consulting on the safety and efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections for osteoarthritis of the knee as part of its Interventional Procedures Programme (IPP). Public consultation is for four weeks and runs between 23 August 2018 and 5pm 20 September 2018.

NICE would be pleased to receive any comments that you may have on provisional recommendations and information on recently published literature not included in the procedure overview.

If you would like to comment then please do so via the NICE website.

Rising up the agenda

Musculoskeletal conditions are common – we all know that. But it hadn’t struck me until recently just how common compared to other long term conditions. 17 million people in the UK have an MSK condition. Compare that with the 850,000 with dementia and think about how much we talk about dementia. It’s a similar picture for other conditions: diabetes, 3.5 million people, cardiovascular, 7 million. Only mental health exceeds the prevalence of MSK conditions.

Of course, we are rightly worried about dementia.…

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Help develop the NICE guideline on Rehabilitation after Traumatic injury

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces guidance on the most effective ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease and ill health, and provide social care support. Their guidance is based on research evidence and takes into account the views of people working in or using relevant services, and other stakeholder groups.

NICE is currently looking for patients and their advocates (usually referred to as ‘lay members’ at NICE) to join the committee developing the guideline on Rehabilitation after Traumatic injury.  …

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NICE to review MTG12 EXOGEN ultrasound bone healing system

NICE has begun a review of MTG12 EXOGEN ultrasound bone healing system for long bone fractures with non-union or delayed healing to determine if the guidance requires updating.

The review schedule is based on the MTEP interim addendum on guidance review which is available at www.nice.org.uk/mt. 

NICE values the input of stakeholders throughout the review process. The review will be conducted by the medical technologies evaluation programme at NICE who will develop a proposal on whether to update the guidance.…

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New publication: ARMA policy position paper on supported self-management

ARMA policy teams and CEOs collaborated to agree a Policy Position Paper on Supported Self-Management for People with Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions. The Policy Position Paper sets out recommendations for change.

The evidence identifies the importance of patients as partners in their own care. While people with musculoskeletal conditions can play a pivotal role in their condition, most are simply unaware of the difference they can make. That’s why the Alliance believes people should be supported to take a proactive role in their health, to live well, feeling confident and in control of their condition with supported self-management.…

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No health without MSK health

“No health without MSK health”. Those were the words of our guest speaker at the ARMA AGM and they clearly struck a chord with members. They were on my mind last week when I attended a consultation meeting held by NHS England about the new ten-year plan for the NHS. At the moment MSK health doesn’t get as much profile as conditions such as mental health, cancer or cardiovascular. Not to downplay the importance of these conditions, but MSK health underpins all aspects of our ability to be independent and lead the active lives we want.…

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NIHR research into physiotherapy for musculoskeletal conditions

The MSK physio-themed review is now live.

Moving Forward – Physiotherapy for Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing  highlights evidence from the National Institute for Health Research and others on why research in this area matters, assessment and matching patients to treatment, restoring musculoskeletal health and maintaining musculoskeletal wellbeing.

 

It features:

  • 37 published studies
  • 25 ongoing research projects
  • Questions to ask your physiotherapy musculoskeletal services

 

You can download this review from the National Institute for Health Research website.

Are we serious about reducing health inequalities?

Guest blog by Ms. Nuzhat Ali, National MSK Lead, Public Health England

Health inequalities are avoidable, unjust differences in people’s health that are persistent and difficult to shift, until and unless we actively focus on them as a society and a whole system.

People living in the most deprived areas in England can expect to spend nearly 20 fewer years in good health compared with those in the least deprived areas. The trajectory and the scale of the inequity worry me for at least three reasons – it is:

  • A societal injustice, one that has serious consequences for us all in many ways
  • A factor in slowing down life expectancy and healthy life expectancy
  • Increasing demand for health care which equates to increasing costs

Health is dependent on so much more than healthcare.  …

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New framework launched to support early access for musculoskeletal conditions

Rapid access to the right care and supporting patients to be fully involved in their care is at the heart of a new capabilities framework launched today (31/07/2018) by NHS England, Health Education England, Public Health England, Skills for Health and the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA). The Musculoskeletal Core Capabilities Framework, aimed at practitioners who will be the first point of contact for people with musculoskeletal conditions, sets out to support improved access to care and ensure quality outcomes for patients.…

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