Category: Research

Chronic Pain and the pandemic

Recently, Pain Alliance Europe conducted a 6-week short survey on Covid-19 and chronic pain in twelve languages to see the current situation of chronic pain patients in Europe.

The survey showed initial results that during the pandemic 15% of people worried and feared taking prescribed medication. There was also impact on self-management plans – of those people who had a plan, 29% indicate they are not able to continue with their care plan. From all countries, the respondents in the UK reported the highest impact of pain interfering with their normal functionality.…

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Assistive devices survey

The British Assistive Technology Association (BATA) has launched a survey, supported by the WHO’s GATE Programme (Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology), called the UK Priority Assistive Products List National Survey.

It is a survey about the most essential assistive products for people, aiming to create a list similar to the essential medicines list from WHO, of essential assistive devices. This is to help identify priorities of need and improve access for those who require an assistive device.

There are a number of categories, one is mobility.…

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Chronic pain in adults 2017: Health Survey for England

A new report from Public Health England examines data on chronic pain in England and analyses inequalities in the experience of chronic pain. The report will be useful for those commissioning and delivering services for those experiencing chronic pain and policy makers in central and local government. The findings on inequalities include that chronic pain is more prevalent in women than men; in people from the Black ethnic group than other ethnicities; and in those in more deprived areas.

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 has highlighted pain as one of the most prominent causes of disability worldwide.…

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Helping to straighten the long and winding road

NASS was pleased to work with Dr Helena Marzo-Ortega of Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Simon Whalley from M&F Health to produce a comment piece for The Lancet Rheumatology earlier this month. The article concluded that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in significant disruption for people living with axial SpA (AS) and the healthcare teams providing the vital NHS services they rely on.

The article shines a light on the difficulties that people living with axial SpA (AS) have had accessing vital services, as well as highlighting the innovative steps that healthcare teams have taken to offer people support during the crisis as well as calling for greater collaboration between policy makers and health care providers to safeguard essential care for people with axial SpA (AS).…

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FCP pilot publishes results

First oF project reaches a successful conclusion

The First Contact Practitioner Osteopath pilot, funded by the Osteopathic Foundation, has published its results with excellent implications for the future of osteopaths in the FCP role.

The report indicates results that demonstrate osteopaths have the skills to make a positive impact in these roles.

Read more on iostopathy.org.

Another recent report by the Institute of Osteopathy is Tackling the workforce challenges in MSK care which explores the role of osteopaths as Allied Health Professionals within the NHS.…

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What We Need Now

A new report from National Voices What matters to people for health and care, during COVID-19 and beyond is based on the work throughout the first phase of the pandemic to capture the experiences of people with ongoing health and care needs, through OurCOVIDVoices. The report makes a series of recommendations for those designing services and those delivering services which will be very relevant to MSK services, as well as suggestions for what system leaders can do.

Derived from people’s experiences, the report creates “I statements” such as ‘I am listened to’ and ‘what I say is acted on’, ‘I am supported to understand risks and uncertainties in my life.’…

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NHS Change Challenge Innovations

The NHS Change Challenge site continues to publish the most impactful initiatives submitted. Wave two included a number of digital initiatives and wave three will be related to rheumatology services. Each idea has a short slide deck explaining the change and how it was done, the impact and issues to consider for embedding it.

The information is brief and practical, enabling you to easily use the initiatives that are helpful to you. If you want to comment you can also join the discussion.…

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Survey on the effects of COVID-19 and lockdown

Around half of those with arthritis report increased pain during the pandemic
With over half finding it more difficult to access healthcare

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 42% of people living with arthritis reported that their pain has increased [1] according to a survey by UK Charity Arthritis Action looking at the effects of COVID-19 and lockdown on the daily lives of people with arthritis. Considering there are over 10 million people living with some form of arthritis in the UK [i] this would equate to over 4 million people experiencing increased arthritis pain during the ongoing pandemic.…

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New Report on workforce challenges

The role of osteopaths as AHPs in the NHS

An independent panel of leading healthcare professionals, chaired by Professor Adrian Newland CBE, has authored a report including its findings on the role of osteopaths as Allied Health Professionals within the NHS, and their potential to provide much needed additional capacity to the delivery of NHS MSK services to improve patient care.

The report was launched at a virtual event with NHS commissioners, at which Sue Brown, CEO of ARMA, joined as part of the panel.…

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