Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Influencing policy and care together for best lifelong musculoskeletal health
The Medical Technology Group has launched its elective backlog report 2023 into the creation of Surgical Hubs and Community Diagnostic Centres. Examining decision-making, how NHS England is tackling the backlog, and the role of both patients and medical technology, this report outlines key recommendations to improve the workings of such innovative services.
NHS England has published Musculoskeletal orthopaedic approach to referral optimisation, a guidance document developed by the Outpatient Recovery and Transformation Programme (OPRT) and BestMSK Health Collaborative.
This guidance describes the benefits of referral optimisation in adult services managing musculoskeletal conditions, focusing on the use of specialist advice to enable people to be seen by the right person, at the right time and in the right place.
It makes the case for change to sustain high quality care, manage risk and optimise capacity across primary, community and secondary care MSK services.…
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The new edition of Airing Pain explores the relationship between childhood trauma and chronic pain in adolescence and adulthood. Episode 140 is about how early childhood experiences and trauma in formative years can cause changes on a structural and functional level in the brain that can predispose young people to pain alongside a wide range of health conditions.
It is now available to listen to here.
The full transcript is available online to download, as well as a captioned video on Youtube.…
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Daniel McCarthy, Professional Development Manager at the iO, has recently worked with the Royal Society for Public Health to promote the role of the osteopathic profession in public health matters.
A resource has been created in the Allied Health Professions Hub; this new infographic illustrates how an osteopaths role integrates within public health, accompanied by a profession descriptor. Download these free materials today.
In June, in collaboration with Crohn’s & Colitis UK, and with support from the British Society for Gastroenterology (BSG), NASS launched the findings from their landscape review into diagnosing axial SpA in people living with inflammatory bowel disease.
As part of the NASS Act on axial SpA campaign, lunched in June 2021, we developed a 22-question survey in conjunction with key clinical advisors, Crohn’s & Colitis UK and BSG. There are two major themes emerging from this analysis to help ensure swift recognition, identification, and referral of suspected axial SpA: education and joint working with rheumatology.…
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NASS has set up a Peer-to-Peer Network open to any healthcare professional working in axial SpA, whether in the NHS or private practice.
It’s an informal but structured group, providing the opportunity to link with others, share good practice and discuss ideas.
There are two ways to be involved: we’ll be monthly webinars from September, plus quarterly newsletters in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Find out more here, where you can also find details of our toolkit for health professionals and how to apply for the first ever Changemaker Awards.
Overcoming concerns and identifying those who should seek medical advice before exercise
The Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy identifies the small number of individuals who should seek medical advice as a first step to becoming or continuing to be physically active during pregnancy, and to help the majority of healthy pregnant individuals overcome any concerns they have with getting or staying active.
Sport Rehabilitator Marlize De Vivo collaborated with this effort which recognises the importance of continued physical activity and acknowledges the role of healthcare and qualified exercise professionals in facilitating an active pregnancy:
“Is it safe for me?…
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This compelling webinar will be given by Frances Cole, from Live Well with Pain. In 1996, Frances and colleagues set up the first primary care based pain management programmes in the UK.
The outcomes found people with pain had significantly less anxiety, depression, improved physical health and, most of all, their confidence to cope with their lives despite the pain had doubled.
Frances’ webinar will shed more light on this and explain how they developed the resources and website and what is available for GPs and FCPs to use.…
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12.30 – 1.30pm, Monday 30 January 2023
To support our resource on social prescribing, ARMA is organising a webinar: Understanding musculoskeletal health for social prescribing.
This is aimed at social prescribing services and link workers NOT MSK professionals. Please promote this event to your local social prescribing services.
It is designed to complement our guide for link workers and social prescribing services.
ARMA would like to thank Arthritis Action for their support of this webinar.
Health Education England and the Institute of Osteopathy have published a quick guide to support the understanding of the value that osteopaths can bring to productive NHS services.
The guide, which looks to facilitate the best use of the multi-professional workforce, is aimed at clinical leads, workforce leads, operational managers and any senior leaders who are involved in workforce development.
