Belimumab (Benlysta) approved for restricted use in NHS Scotland

On Monday 8th May 2017 the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published new advice accepting the restricted use of belimumab (Benlysta) by NHS Scotland for lupus patients. This advice was published following a re-submission with evidence supplied by GlaxoSmithKline (the producers of Benlysta) and LUPUS UK on behalf of patients.

 

Belimumab is the first drug approved to treat lupus in more than 50 years and is the first drug developed specifically for lupus since the disease was discovered. It is approved for adults with active, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) who are receiving other lupus medicines.…

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Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View

The Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View document was published on March 31st 2017 as an update to the original Five Year Forward View published in October 2014.

Next Steps sets out the NHS’ main national service improvement priorities over the next two years, “within the constraints of what is necessary to achieve financial balance across the health service”.

This blog post sets out why MSK is so important for the delivery of the next steps and the role ARMA and our members have to play.

Musculoskeletal Services: the missing step

Last Friday, March 31st, NHS England published a significant document about the future of the NHS: Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View. The original NHS five year forward view set out why and how the NHS should change to address three issues: the health gap, the quality gap and the financial sustainability gap. The next steps updates on progress and sets out future plans.

Musculoskeletal conditions account for a major part of the workload of the NHS, 40% of which is due to potentially preventable risk factors.



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