Around 20 million people in the UK, including over 200,000 children and young people, experience musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as chronic musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. But these do not affect the population equally. Women, older people, those living in deprivation, and some ethnic groups are disproportionately affected in terms of prevalence and impact. In addition, those with MSK conditions experience inequalities when it comes to accessing services and in outcomes.
Our ambition is to reduce these health inequalities and ensure everyone can access the highest quality health and care, regardless of their background or where they live. We know that many of you share this goal. We would like to invite you to get involved, check out our online resources, and join in activities as we work to tackle these complex issues together.
Inquiry
We launched the first ever national inquiry into MSK health inequalities on 20 February 2023.
See more details of how you can get involved.
Health Inequalities Resource page
Our resource page is the place to find the most up-to-date, relevant and useful information specifically about MSK health inequalities. We regularly add new resources as they become available.
Roundtable report
Find a brief outline of the key issues in MSK inequalities and recommendations for action in our report of our 2021 Roundtable event.