coronavirus-covid19 | ARMA

Guest blog: the Change Challenge Collaborative

by Greta McLachlan, Fellow at the Strategic planning and development cell, NHS England and Improvement, part of the Change Challenge Collaborative.

The change challenge collaborative is a group of professionals who have come together to work across the MSK, orthopaedic and rheumatology specialties to try and capture beneficial changes that have occurred within the NHS during COVID- 19. The aim being to try and capture these changes and ideas to ensure that these innovations are not lost when the NHS comes out of its pandemic measures.…

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If it doesn’t work for patients it doesn’t work

by Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

Covid-19 has brought out some amazing collaboration in MSK. Different parts of the system have been affected in different ways – the issues restarting surgery are enormous, there is a back log of people who need to see a rheumatologist, large numbers of staff from community services redeployed into covid wards and are now returning to their previous roles.

In the middle of all this have been patients, struggling to navigate a system in chaos. Unable to get treatment, planned surgery delayed, people in pain wondering when they might be seen.…

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Shielding update and factsheet

The government has announced a relaxation of the guidance to people in England who are clinically extremely vulnerable and therefore were advised to shield. (At the time of writing, guidance in the other nations had not changed). The chance of encountering coronavirus in the community has fallen: less than 1 in 1,700 are now estimated to have the virus, down from 1 in 500 four weeks ago. Whilst the relaxation is good news for many people who have gone months without leaving their houses, ARMA remains concerned that important protections are being lifted too soon.…

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Important new axial SpA & COVID-19 APPG Clinical Survey

NASS would like to bring your attention to an important new clinical survey on the impact that COVID-19 is having on axial SpA (AS) services and care.

The survey has been developed to help inform the work of a new inquiry that is being carried out by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Axial Spondyloarthritis. Findings from the survey will support the APPG, the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS) and other stakeholders in the area to identify key recommendations that can be put forward to help safeguard the provision of axial SpA (AS) care and ensure that patients are able to receive the best care possible in the months ahead.…

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Sport Rehabilitators supporting the NHS

Sport Rehabilitators and Covid-19 – working with patients and supporting the NHS

For an article on the Rehab Recruits scheme, BASRaT spoke to two sport rehabilitators to take a closer look at the fantastic work they are doing.

The NHS and MSKREFORM appealed for professionals who could temporarily work in an NHS role. The Rehab Recruits programme from MSKReform aimed to bring willing MSK clinicians together to help the NHS in its fight against Covid-19.

Sport Rehabilitators, Megan Thorley and Daniel Baker volunteered; read their stories here.

Moving Medicine COVID-19 Recovery Resources

Moving Medicine, an FSEM (UK) initiative, has published a series of resources designed to help those who are recovering from COVID-19.

The COVID 19 infection frequently leaves people feeling tired, weak, short of breath performing simple tasks, lacking in motivation, anxious or even feeling depressed. These symptoms can go on for a lot longer than expected and it can feel like you’ll never get back to normal.

To assist those recovering, Moving Medicine has produced resources that help people take control and start building their body back to normal.…

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Osteopaths now open for general practice in UK

The Institute of Osteopathy can confirm that osteopaths operating in all areas of the UK can now open to general practice following the implementation of the relevant adaptations required to manage the risk of infection of COVID-19.

We know that following an extended period of lockdown by the general public, many people are experiencing issues with their MSK health, which can also have consequences for other areas of their health and well-being. The iO has issued an information video for the public so that they can be confident of the steps that will have been taken to put their safety first while accessing osteopathic care.…

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Changes to shielding guidance

The shielding guidance has changed so that from 1 June 2020 people who are shielding are advised that they may go outside once per day following strict social distancing. No other aspect of the guidance has changed, so people are still advised that they should remain 2 metres away from other members of their household, minimise the time spent in shared spaces, etc. Some people with MSK conditions are shielding, either because of the combination of medication they are taking or because they have other conditions that make them extremely vulnerable.…

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Stay alert to stay safe

PHE has updated their public messaging to convey the latest advice from the Government regarding coronavirus. The new posters display the key messages for the ‘Stay Alert’ phase, containing official guidance relating to social distancing in specific settings:

At home
Travelling to work
At work
Whilst exercising
Whilst shopping
In transport hubs (in train stations, underground stations etc.)

Other messaging includes:

Detailed handwashing guidance
Hand hygiene
‘R’ rate

Here are the latest posters and imagery designed for dissemination on Social media.…

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The changing landscape of orthopaedic services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

Guest blog by

Cormac Kelly, Consultant Upper Limb Surgeon at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

and

Peter Kay, National Orthopaedic Alliance (NOA) Lead Clinician and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The COVID-19 crisis has changed the delivery of planned orthopaedic surgery drastically. As the pandemic continues to subside, the NHS, with various guidance from Public Health England, Medical and Surgical Colleges, the British Orthopaedic Association, and others, is working on a plan to get surgery back on track.…

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