MSK & employment

Better MSK health is the foundation of our future prosperity and wellbeing

by Adrian Bradley, CEO ARMA

The link between health and economic activity has become a central focus of policy. New analysis from the ONS and NHS England, highlighted by the King’s Fund, shows how health and work are closely connected. Poor health reduces employment and productivity, and long NHS waiting lists hold people back from returning to work. Improving musculoskeletal (MSK) health will undoubtedly deliver major economic benefits. Fewer people in pain means fewer absences, more people able to stay in work, and greater productivity.…

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Versus Arthritis Work Adjustment Plan

Designed to help people with arthritis address work-related barriers and self-manage their condition in work

Versus Arthritis is aware that working with arthritis can be challenging, with a disability employment gap of 20% for those living with arthritis compared to those without arthritis.

Versus Arthritis surveys and research in partnership with CMHW offered an insight into what could make a difference to work outcomes for people living with the condition.

As a result of these findings, the information on the work area of the Versus Arthritis website has been updated.…

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GIRFT and elective community MSK waiting times

GIRFT is getting started on a £3.5m programme of activity working with 17 ICBs with the highest waiting lists for elective community MSK services.

The focus is on reducing waiting times for a community MSK appointment; to improve access to MSK treatment and support people back to work.

The GIRFT MSK Community Delivery Programme will see each ICB receive funding and support to develop more efficient ways of getting MSK patients treated, off waiting lists and back onto the path of employment.…

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ORUK’s MSK for the Workplace programme

Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK), in association with the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) has launched the MSK for the Workplace programme, focused on improving the MSK health of the working age population. It follows recent news that more than 2.5 million people are currently unemployed in the UK due to health-related issues, including back and neck pain, at a time when the government has made it clear that getting people back to work is central to its plans for economic growth.…

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Economic Growth and Increased Productivity: Boosting the MSK Health of the Working Nation

Guest blog by Dr Arash Angadji, Chief Executive, Orthopaedic Research UK

The nation has a musculoskeletal (MSK) problem. As a society we have tended to focus on MSK issues relating to the ageing population, but the latest figures on the number of people not working in the UK due to long-term sickness (including poor MSK health) highlight how we need to start thinking of poor MSK health as a multi-generational challenge. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), more than two and a half million people are currently unemployed due to health-related issues, including back and neck pain.…

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Psychosocial factors and workplace MSK report

Psychosocial risks and work-related musculoskeletal disorders: exploring the links and prevention strategies

A new report explores the connections between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace using data from the latest European Working Conditions Survey and European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks.

It finds that some psychosocial factors — such as working time, job security and support from management — have more of an impact on MSDs than factors related to socio-demographics, country or economic sector.…

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Have your say on the Musculoskeletal Advanced Practice and Governance Framework

Advanced Musculoskeletal (MSK) practice has been developing for many years, playing an integral part within the delivery of health services nationally. MSK practitioners work in diverse settings including emergency, rheumatology, persistent pain, paediatric and therapies, as well as in primary and community care and in MSK secondary care interface services.

Skills for Health is inviting feedback on a new core capability framework for MSK Advanced Practice and Governance. They are keen to hear from Advanced Practitioners, Advanced Practitioners in training, the wider healthcare team, employers, training providers, patients and carers to ensure the framework reflects what is needed in the sector.…

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NRAS Work survey

In July and August 2020, NRAS ran a survey asking about the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the working lives of people living with rheumatoid arthritis or another form of inflammatory arthritis.

The survey received 348 responses and a short report will be published next month. The overall picture is a concerning one: people reported that their career opportunities, in-work support and the understanding they experienced from colleagues and employers dropped slightly during lockdown. Asked about their expectations for the future, many expected this trend to get worse.…

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NICE guideline on workplace health

Workplace health: long-term sickness absence and capability to work

NICE published this final guideline on the NICE website. You can also find the supporting evidence, tools and resources as well as all the stakeholder comments NICE received during consultation and the responses to these comments.

The recommendations from this guideline have been included in the NICE Pathway on Managing long-term sickness absence and capability to work, which brings together everything NICE said on Workplace health: long-term sickness absence and capability to work in an interactive flowchart.…

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Conversation starters for MSD workplace discussions

A new resource on MSDs for workplaces – ‘Conversation Starters for workplace discussions on musculoskeletal disorders’ – is now available online from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).

This is an Occupational safety and health (OSH) resource for running workplace group discussions on MSDs and their prevention. Each activity includes an MSD scenario and a series of questions to facilitate discussion.

The discussion activities also cover raising MSD issues promptly with your employer, and how to speak with your employer/employee about an individual MSD problem, including an RMD – see conversation starters 9 to 12.…

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