Moving Forward – Event brings together leading Musculoskeletal experts to improve the delivery of patient services in the UK

Healthcare professionals are invited to a London event to learn, network and share challenges regarding musculoskeletal conditions (MSK), which are responsible for 30.8million lost working days in the UK every year.

Kingston and St George’s University of London and Connect Health, the UK’s largest independent provider of integrated community MSK services, have organised the event for MSK, pain and rheumatology professionals to help them plan and deliver effective services to their local population.

Taking place on 6 November at London Stadium, Olympic Park, Moving Forward will showcase the very best evidence-based MSK pathways to attendees, and help them understand the changing commissioning landscape and the impact of Primary Care Networks and Integrated Care Systems on delivering the components of the Long Term Plan associated with MSK prevention and care. Attendees will debate the challenges of developing MSK services to meet the needs of patients and taxpayers and hear about potential solutions experienced by organisations who have done it.

With more than one in four people in the UK living with an MSK condition, the significant impact of them is often underestimated. They are the single biggest cause of disability in the UK, and often have profound personal and societal implications.

Paul Allan, Director of NHS Services, Connect Health and Chair of the event said: “Every year 30.8m working days are lost due to musculoskeletal conditions, costing the NHS £4.76 billion annually*, making it the second leading cause of sickness absence and the third largest area of NHS spending.

“We’re looking forward to bringing together healthcare professionals from across the country to help them to listen and debate the best approaches in the delivery of high quality, responsive integrated community MSK services and improve the experience for patients, taxpayers and colleagues.”

The comprehensive programme on the day includes keynotes from:

•         Dr Ian Bernstein, Clinical Lead for MSK Transformation, NW London Health and Care Partnership Musculoskeletal Physician, Connect Health
•     Prof David Beard, Professor of Musculoskeletal and Surgical Science, Nuffield Dept of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford
•         Matt Zasada and Dave Rees, Senior Lecturers in Rehabilitation Sciences, FHSCE, Kingston University and St George’s University of London
•         Danielle Chulan, Deputy Director of NHS Services, Connect Health.

To register your interest in the Olympic Park, event please visit – http://www.connecthealth.co.uk/event/moving-forward-commission-evidence-based-msk-pathways-london/

A further event will also take place in Leeds on 28 November, in partnership with Teesside University and Leeds Beckett University with a slightly amended speaker roster to include local professionals.

*Source: State of Musculoskeletal Health 2018, Versus Arthritis