Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Influencing policy and care together for best lifelong musculoskeletal health
On 7 November 2020, NASS will be hosting a new event for any affected by axial SpA (AS).
Physio in Focus will be run entirely by physiotherapists and in partnership with AStretch. Please do share this with your patients. We also welcome attendance from physiotherapists who would like to engage further with NASS and AStretch.
The Patients Association has published a report of patient experiences of Covid-19. The results show the massive toll on all patients of the coronavirus pandemic and the emergency measures taken in response to it. Some patients reported good ongoing care, and were impressed by the way their local communities came together to support them.
The report contains recommendations for the next phase of the emergency response, and also a call for the health and care system to be built back better after the pandemic: the current emergency footing cannot be the basis for the ongoing relationship between patients and the NHS.…
Read more of this article
After more than four months shielding, NRAS founder and National Patient Champion Ailsa Bosworth MBE has shared her thoughts on shielding coming to an end.
You can watch Ailsa’s video of her personal reflections on the lockdown experience and coming out of shielding on the NRAS YouTube channel.
by Victoria Wells, a personal reflection about a new play with a theme of dancing for health – how a work of theatrical art relates to my experience of joint replacement surgery, pre-operative rehab, post-op rehabilitation and a lifetime of dancing.
On 3 October 2020, a play by Fiona Hamilton will be screened for the first time.
My experience contributed to one of its main characters.
As a child I enjoyed dancing and getting lost in the rhythm. I was born with hip dysplasia that was not diagnosed until mid-childhood and, as a result, I walked with constant pain.…
Read more of this article
This blog post from the HMSA’s Occupational Therapist, Jo Southall, provides an overview of strategies to deal with the not entirely comfortable idea of returning to an uncertain world when you’ve been shielding for some time, and is packed with ideas about how to ease that transition.
Jo is responsible for team wellbeing at the HMSA and also runs a monthly #HMSALiveOT show from the HMSA Facebook page at 7pm on the third Thursday of each month, taking your Occupational Therapy questions live or in advance.…
Read more of this article
Help end the 8.5-year delay in the diagnosis of axial SpA (AS)
A new programme that aims to end the 8.5-year delay to diagnosis for people living with axial Spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) was launched on 15 July 2020.
Gold Standard Time to Diagnosis will set the world’s first Gold Standard to reduce the average time to diagnosis in axial SpA (AS) to just one year. The consultation process, which is phase one of the programme, was launched at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on axial Spondyloarthritis.…
Read more of this article
People with arthritis can’t ignore their pain. Let’s make sure the Government doesn’t, either.
This is why Versus Arthritis has launched the Impossible to Ignore campaign, calling on politicians and policy-makers to address the needs of people with arthritis. Now, your support is needed to demand change.
For many people, lockdown has made living with arthritis even harder. With appointments, treatments and joint replacement surgery delayed, people with arthritis face worsening pain and impacts to their physical and mental health that are impossible to ignore. …
Read more of this article
An invitation to participate in research: We want to know your experiences of living with pain in LondonRecent findings have shown that chronic pain affects up to 50% of the UK population [1]. Of this, Black adults have been found to have higher levels of “high-impact” pain in comparison to their White counterparts [2]. This disparity in the incidence of pain is also reflected in the contributory factors to pain. Researchers [1] have found many factors that are associated with the development of chronic pain including comorbidity, mental health and employment status – factors that are more prevalent in ethnic minorities [3] [4].…
Read more of this article
Moving Medicine, an FSEM (UK) initiative, has published a series of resources designed to help those who are recovering from COVID-19.
The COVID 19 infection frequently leaves people feeling tired, weak, short of breath performing simple tasks, lacking in motivation, anxious or even feeling depressed. These symptoms can go on for a lot longer than expected and it can feel like you’ll never get back to normal.
To assist those recovering, Moving Medicine has produced resources that help people take control and start building their body back to normal.…
Read more of this article
A British Orthopaedic Association message to people waiting for joint replacement and other orthopaedic surgeryGrowing waiting lists are affecting all planned surgery, but particularly orthopaedics which has the largest overall waiting list of any individual specialty. The BOA’s statement [published 26 June 2020] is a response to the concern, frustration and a lack of information available to people waiting for surgery. It explains how services can restart, gives advice on what to do, and provides resources to help people while they wait, as well as some FAQs.…
Read more of this article
