Category: Resources

Training: Core Skills in Musculoskeletal Care

Arthritis Research UK has developed the educational package Core Skills in Musculoskeletal Care. It has been created by GPs for GPs and aims to support professionals ‘get the basics right’ in musculoskeletal care and equip GPs with the essential knowledge, skill and confidence needed to manage the most common MSK conditions seen in primary and community care.

The package consists of the popular e-learning module hosted on the RCGP website as well as the new hands-on, interactive workshops.

See a video of the workshop in action.…

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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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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.

Delay to diagnosis in musculoskeletal disease

Introduction

Across a range of MSK conditions there is evidence of significant delays to diagnosis which result in avoidable morbidity and mortality. GPs have a critical role to play in reducing time to diagnosis. This article looks at the delays, their impact, and the resources available to GPs to support their referral decisions. Our simple message is #ThinkRheum.

Delay to diagnosis

Significant delay from symptom onset to diagnosis has been seen across a range of MSK conditions: an average of 6.4 yeas in Lupus [1], 8.5 years in axial spondyloarthrtis (axial SpA) [2] and an estimated 10 years in Ehlers-Danos syndromes (EDS).…

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EULAR’s approach to pain management

In May 2018, The European League Against Rheumatism published a set of recommendations designed to help health professionals implement approaches to pain management in inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis patients. The aim is to reduce pain and the burden on the individual and society.

Pain is the predominant symptom for people with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and osteoarthritis (OA), mandating the development of new, evidence-based EULAR Recommendations for the health professional’s approach to pain management in inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis.

The target users of these recommendations are health professionals in the field of rheumatology, including rheumatologists. …

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Reducing the global burden of musculoskeletal conditions

The Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health is delighted to inform you about the paper “Reducing the global burden of musculoskeletal conditions” published online in the WHO Bulletin, May 2018.

International experts, working with The Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health, are calling for global action from health authorities to address the huge burden of musculoskeletal conditions, which affect about one in three people worldwide, including younger people.

You can view the “Reducing the global burden of musculoskeletal conditions” paper here.…

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The State of Musculoskeletal Health 2018

The State of Musculoskeletal Health 2018 is a resource for health professionals, policy makers, public health leads and anyone interested in musculoskeletal health. We believe that with the best information you can build awareness, make more informed decisions, feel more confident and ultimately help more people with musculoskeletal conditions. The resource was put together by Arthritis Research UK.

Using the best available data on prevalence, risk factors and comorbidities, the report lays out the key factors affecting musculoskeletal health, the economic benefits of musculoskeletal research, and describes the scale and impact of the problem.…

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The MSK First Point-of-Contact Model

Health Education England, together with South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit, has developed an easy-to-use tool to support clinicians, managers and commissioners in their efforts to forecast and monitor the impacts of MSK self-referral to first contact practitioners (FCP).

It is called the MSK First Point of Contact Model.

The model would be useful for anyone considering:

  •     Writing a business case for a first contact practitioner service
  •     Evaluating the impact of an already established FCP service
  •     Planning a service improvement initiative within a MSK health system

You can find and download the model from ARMA’s Network Resources page.

Against the Odds: Scaling innovation in the NHS

Guest blog by David Albury, Board Director Innovation Unit

Why have so many innovations in the NHS failed to make the impact they might because they remain in isolated pockets and never spread? Here at the Innovation Unit we decided to look at this question from a more positive angle and ask where innovation has spread and what made that possible?

There is broad agreement that the pressures and challenges currently facing the NHS can only be addressed through developing and scaling innovations that significantly improve outcomes whilst significantly reducing costs.…

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