What do patients value in healthcare services?

NASS bannerNASS is working on a piece of research with Headstrong Thinking. They want to know what people value in their health services, from the time they first visit a health professional with symptoms of axial SpA, to long term management of their condition.

NASS wants to reach as many people as possible at every point of their journey. If you are treating someone with, or that you suspect might have axial SpA, please do share the Patient Values Survey with them.

Outcomes from AHP student placements

Innovative multi-professional student placement project shows positive outcomes

A pilot in Allied Health Professions student placements, funded by Health Education England and facilitated by the Institute of Osteopathy, has shown how an innovative interprofessional approach can deliver positive outcomes for students and educators, ultimately facilitating improved patient outcomes through the delivery of multi-disciplinary care.

Read more on the iO website.

MELODY – Investigating COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in immunocompromised people

A new national trial is recruiting people with rare autoimmune diseases to measure their COVID-19 antibody response following at least 3 vaccinations.

The MELODY study is recruiting immunocompromised people to determine the antibody levels they develop in response to COVID-19 vaccination.

The MELODY study aims to:

  1. Assess how many immunocompromised people have detectable antibodies against COVID-19 following at least 3 vaccines;
  2. Investigate whether a lack of detectable antibodies is associated with risk of infection over a 6-month period;
  3. Investigate what factors are associated with lack of detectable antibodies in immunocompromised people.


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Psoriatic Arthritis PSP infographic

Final update on the James Lind Alliance Psoriatic Arthritis Priority Setting Partnership

During the last two years the researchers running the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership have explored unmet needs in psoriatic arthritis, determining what is important for people living with psoriatic arthritis, their families and carers, and the healthcare professionals treating them. The project is now complete.

The results from this project will be used to guide future research. This infographic [opens in PDF] summarizes the project and its findings.…

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Psychosocial factors and workplace MSK report

Psychosocial risks and work-related musculoskeletal disorders: exploring the links and prevention strategies

A new report explores the connections between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace using data from the latest European Working Conditions Survey and European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks.

It finds that some psychosocial factors — such as working time, job security and support from management — have more of an impact on MSDs than factors related to socio-demographics, country or economic sector.…

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£4 million research funding opportunity

The Nuffield Foundation, in partnership with Versus Arthritis, has announced £4 million for new research funding to improve the social and economic wellbeing of people living with musculoskeletal conditions in the UK. Applicants should develop interdisciplinary proposals that can help identify, develop and enhance non-clinical policy and practice interventions.

The deadline for outline applications is 14 March 2022.
Find out more and apply via the Nuffield Foundation website.

APPG for Osteoporosis and Bone Health Inquiry Report

osteoporosis reportThe All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Osteoporosis and Bone Health published a report into the long-standing postcode lottery in the NHS for osteoporosis care. The report highlights the scale of under-diagnosis, under-treatment and missed opportunities in the NHS, with a blueprint for change. Implementation of the blueprint in England and Wales could save the NHS around £287m over five years – a return on investment of around 3:1 – according to the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), which has supported the Inquiry.…

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Brace Yourself! PROP-OA knee pain trial

How a research trial will support people living with knee pain and osteoarthritis though advice, exercise and knee braces

Knee pain affects one in four people over 45 years in the UK. The most common cause is osteoarthritis, but many people will suffer without getting the diagnosis.

Osteoarthritis and its symptoms vary a lot and negatively affect people’s daily lives. There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but with treatment, symptoms can be improved and allow people to stay active.

Wearing a knee brace is one of the options that could help by reducing the load going through the joint and improving its stability.…

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National Voices Timely Access to Care

A new publication from National Voices Timely access to care: Principles for recovery argues for an inclusive, equitable and person-centred recovery, focusing on the whole person, in the context of their lives, and the whole system, and the context within which it is operating. There are three sets of recommendations: one for government and system leaders, one for people planning and delivering services and one for the VCSE.

Access the document here.

Pain Forecast survey

Manchester uni banner

In 2016, the Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis at the University of Manchester ran a large study, collecting data about people’s symptoms and comparing this to the weather.

Using this data, the researchers are now aiming to build a pain forecast. This will be like a weather forecast but used for predicting pain severity in the near future. Being able to forecast pain severity in this way will provide benefits for patients in the future.

In this second phase, a survey will ask people with chronic pain what information that they would be interested in receiving about pain severity.…

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