The 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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Category: Resources
NASS driving service improvements
New report sheds light on game-changing innovations in axial SpA care
The report, Driving Improvements in Axial SpA Services: Building Foundations through Aspiring to Excellence was produced and published by the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS), and launched on 22 October 2021. This is the first detailed account of service improvement projects undertaken by rheumatology teams across the UK as part of the Aspiring to Excellence programme.
Every team on the programme is working on a project that will improve diagnosis, treatment and care for patients with axial SpA.…
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Relaunched Managing JIA in School booklet
On World Arthritis Day, JIA-at-NRAS relaunched their Managing JIA in School booklet. The update provides information on all aspects of education and is a useful resource for parents, teachers and for the child themselves. There is more information about how to inform the school about your child’s JIA, individual health care plan, tips for teachers and children and how to manage flares in school.
There are also a range of articles aimed at improving the experience of going through school with JIA, with helpful information on a range of aspects of school life, including completing an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) and covering letter to the school, coping with exam stress and minimising the effect of heavy school bags on the joints.…
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New & improved app for teens and young adults
After a successful launch last year, Versus Arthritis has exciting news about the next evolution of their free app, “Arthritis Tracker”. Available on Android and iPhone, the symptom and wellbeing tracker can help health professionals make the most of the time they have with patients and quickly get an understanding of some the key issues that a young person is facing, leaving more time to discuss treatment options.
“The app is great – I am actively encouraging young people in my clinic to use it.…
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New stretching videos to help keep moving and manage your arthritis
Versus Arthritis has developed ten new stretching ‘follow along’ videos specifically to help people with arthritis to maintain flexibility and to help relieve stiffness.
The 15-minute ‘follow along’ format means that the videos can be easily incorporated into people’s daily routine. All of the exercises are designed to be done at home with some of the fun movements making use of everyday household objects.
This video series will form a key part of Let’s Move, a dedicated programme funded by Sport England for people with arthritis who want more movement in their lives.…
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SMILE-RA from NRAS
Working closely with health professionals and people living with RA, NRAS has created SMILE-RA- a platform to support people with self-management of their RA. With an intuitive interface, the modules can be selected which are of interest and relevance.
The modules available are the following:
- Foundation
- Newly Diagnosed
- Meet the Team
- Managing pain and Flares
New modules will continue to be added as they are developed. Visit nras.org.uk/selfmanagement for more information!
Hear from NRAS National Patient Champion, Ailsa Bosworth MBE, explaining in this video what supported self-management is all about and how SMILE, can help people living with RA.
RCPod foot arthritis patient resources
In collaboration with a number of partners the Royal College of Podiatry has developed a number of resources for people who suffer with arthritis in their feet. The main resource is available through the web page and can be accessible in over 100 languages. There are also favourable downloads in leaflet form for those wishing to pass the information on.
Please visit rcpod.org.uk/patient-information/arthritis for further information.
Long COVID self-management tools
Physiotherapist Katie Knapton from PhysioFit and Pete Moore from the PainToolkit have co-written a self-management guide for people suffering with Long Covid. This is free and entry-level information to try and help people on the path to recovery.
If you are noticing any worsening symptoms especially in terms of chest pain and shortness of breath it is vital that you are medically assessed. If you have been medically cleared, then it is still appropriate to have support and to monitor symptoms.…
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New app for virtual group exercise classes to support people living with arthritis
The pandemic has led to a backlog of people, primarily over 50s, who are in need of support to manage their condition due to a combination of physical inactivity and limited access to non-emergency appointments.
Those living with MSK conditions can find it challenging to exercise due to pain, fear of injury and low motivation. However physical activity can help to alleviate symptoms and improve mental health.
A new app designed to bring people together
The VCR project, running for twelve months, will be offering support to people in the form of peer-led, virtual group exercise classes delivered via a mobile app.…
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Long COVID and Post-COVID-19 Syndrome training
e-Learning for Healthcare has published a national training session providing an introduction to long COVID, looking at its definition, common symptoms, investigations as well as the impact it has on adults and children.
The session is aimed at all clinical staff in the NHS in England, particularly those in primary and community care. Dr Ian Bernstein, Director of Medical Education led the team of authors from Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
The programme can be accessed from the e-lfh.org.uk website; scroll down to the ‘View’ button.