Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Influencing policy and care together for best lifelong musculoskeletal health
The Royal Osteoporosis Society and the APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health have published a new report exposing how a “postcode lottery” in NHS prescribing leaves over 1 million women without access to vital bone-strengthening treatments. This analysis calls for unified, system-wide policy reform to ensure equitable medication pathways for all.
Read the full report here.
ROS and APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health Inquiry Report on Access to Medicines
An upcoming report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Osteoporosis and Bone Health highlights the “critical need for system-wide reform” to address barriers to osteoporosis medication in the NHS, leaving millions of people at risk of life-threatening fractures.
Fractures caused by osteoporosis are preventable. A timely diagnosis and a treatment plan can prevent fractures. But there is an enormous treatment gap with two-thirds of people who need anti-osteoporosis medications missing out on them – around 90,000 people every year.…
Read more of this article
The Royal Osteoporosis Society recently attended the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences with a team of volunteers, attending over 40 fringe events to advocate for universal, high-quality Fracture Liaison Services (FLS).
At the Labour Conference, Health Secretary Wes Streeting reiterated his commitment to delivering universal FLS by 2030, praising ROS for building a strong case for secondary prevention.
Public Health Minister Andrew Gwynne also voiced his support for the Better Bones campaign for universal FLS, ensuring the issue remains high on the agenda ahead of the Budget.
The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) is asking healthcare professionals to sign a joint letter to be published in the Sunday Express calling for an end to the postcode lottery for Fracture Liaison Services (FLS).
If you are a healthcare professional, you can sign the letter here, and the ROS would be very grateful if you could share it with other healthcare professionals through your organisation.
Fracture Liaison Services are the world standard model for fracture prevention. They allow people who have suffered their first fracture to be identified, diagnosed and treated, in a timely way, with anti-osteoporosis medications which keep bones strong.…
Read more of this article
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Osteoporosis and Bone Health published a report into the long-standing postcode lottery in the NHS for osteoporosis care. The report highlights the scale of under-diagnosis, under-treatment and missed opportunities in the NHS, with a blueprint for change. Implementation of the blueprint in England and Wales could save the NHS around £287m over five years – a return on investment of around 3:1 – according to the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), which has supported the Inquiry.…
Read more of this article
Guest blog by Craig Jones, CEO of the Royal Osteoporosis Society
Later this summer the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) will launch its manifesto for a future without osteoporosis. This marks the beginning of a new chapter where we’ll turn up the volume on the fight against osteoporosis through campaigning and advocacy.
Our hospital-by-hospital approach to fostering Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) since 2015 has paid off, with 12.1m more people now having access to the gold standard for secondary fracture prevention.…
Read more of this article
by Ellie Davies, Acting Project Manager, Falls and Fragility Fracture Audit Programme (FFFAP)
520,000 cases of fragility fracture occur every year amongst those (primarily over-50s) suffering with the bone-weakening disease known as osteoporosis. That is 520,000 broken bones caused by as little as slipping in the shower, stepping off a curb even. This is not only a huge economic burden on the NHS, approximately £5.25 billion, but an epidemic that has lasting physical and emotional repercussions for sufferers. It is upsetting to learn that 42% of older people say that osteoporosis has made them feel more socially isolated.…
Read more of this article
New online infographic posters summarising the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance relevant to allied health professionals are now available online. Produced by the Institute of Osteopathy and endorsed by NICE, these easy to use resources provide a quick reference guide to current NICE guidance which can be printed and displayed in a clinical setting and support CPD.
There are currently three topics available; osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and spondyloarthritis, with plans to develop others in the near future.…
Read more of this article
On 30th November 2017, the National Osteoporosis Society published new Osteoporosis Standards and Vertebral Fractures Guidance for Health Professionals. The guidelines help health professionals provide the possible care for people with osteoporosis.
Fizz Thompson, Clinical Director for the National Osteoporosis Society, said: “The National Osteoporosis Society plays a key role in driving positive change in healthcare provision for people affected by fractures and osteoporosis, and these new documents – developed with clinical experts over a two year period – demonstrate how the Charity is setting the agenda in this area.…
Read more of this article
Read the Summer-Autumn 2017 update newsletter from the Department of Rheumatology at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, and the Portsmouth ARMA Network, which features:
Alongside the update are the fliers and forms related to upcoming events –
Day to Day Living with Arthritis and Connective Tissues Diseases Conference 2017:
Programme for healthcare professionals with registration form.…
Read more of this article
