Carer Friendly Recognition for Sussex MSK Partnership East and Horder Healthcare. We are proud to announce that Sussex MSK Partnership East (SMSKPE) and Horder Healthcare have officially been recognised as carer-friendly services by Care for the Carers (CftC)! On 13th September 2024, we received certificates for all of Horder’s sites, and our admin offices, during an awards event held at The Horder Centre, Crowborough. Richard Tyler, CEO of Horder Healthcare, accepted the award on behalf of Horder and SMSKPE from local MP, Nusrat Ghani. See their article about this achievement, here. This recognition is the result of an ongoing effort to ensure that carers – those who tirelessly look after others – receive the support they need. In 2023, SMSKPE partnered with Care for the Carers, a charity dedicated to helping unpaid carers in East Sussex. Their awareness training highlighted the daily struggles carers face, particularly the challenge of balancing their own health with the needs of the people they care for. With 69,000 unpaid carers in East Sussex alone, and 6.5 million across the UK, their contribution to our society is invaluable, saving the UK economy an estimated £132 billion each year. As part of this journey, we’ve integrated CftC resources into our services to make support more accessible for carers. Whether it’s through clear signposting at our facilities, helpful information on our website, or promoting access through self-referrals, we’ve made sure that carers know where to turn for help. We’ve also contributed articles to CftC’s ‘Careline’ magazine, promoting MSK health to carers and raising awareness about how they can look after themselves while caring for others. Being recognised as carer-friendly means that we’re committed to creating a welcoming environment for carers in all our clinics. Our flexible appointment system ensures carers can book at times that suit their schedule, and we offer services such as access to interpreters, chaperones, and locally placed clinics. We’re dedicated to making sure that carers face fewer barriers when accessing the care they need for themselves. We’ve also taken steps to support our own staff who are carers, introducing a ‘gold standard’ carers policy. This ensures that all staff who care for others know their rights and have the support they need in the workplace. Look out for the new carer-friendly signage in our clinics – it’s our way of showing that we’re here to support carers every step of the way.

Act Now: Musculoskeletal Health Inequalities and Deprivation  Share this page: 2 minute read The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) recently released their report ‘Act Now: Musculoskeletal Health Inequalities and Deprivation’. The report looks at how changes in the design and delivery of MSK services can address inequalities linked to deprivation, age, gender and ethnicity.   We are committed to tackling health inequality and are pleased to have assisted ARMA in this work and to be featured as a case study. SMSKPE have improved the accessibility of MSK services and seen a significant increase (68%) in the number of people self-referring to physio services. Our outreach work in collaboration with other agencies and partners is providing insights that enable us to continuously improve patient experience and we continue to develop and adapt to provide a personalised approach and make services easy and straightforward to access. From the actions described in our case study, we have continued to track our initiatives. Our website footfall has increased by 91% since 2022. Utilising Accurx as a communication tool has helped to reduce non-attendance in our community clinics by 38%. Feedback from patients has been more substantial than ever before, increasing by 84% since 2022. ARMAs report gives actionable steps to ensure equitable MSK care for all. If you are a healthcare professional, it’s well worth a read. If you currently are a patient or have lived experience, please give feedback. Your contributions help services identify and recognise their blind spots and consider how to improve. Read the report, here. 

MSK in the workplace – Everything you need to know Share this page:   8 minute read What is MSK? Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect many people and can involve joints, bones, muscles, and sometimes associated tissues such as nerves. They can range from minor (injuries) to long-term conditions. Understanding MSK health is crucial for both employers and employees in order to work and live well. Good MSK health involves gaining the knowledge and the skills to manage health and well-being, and treatment that suits personal preferences and lifestyle. Maintaining good MSK health is essential for carrying out daily activities while ageing well. Did you know? 20.3 million people have an MSK condition, such as arthritis, back pain or chronic pain in the UK. Thats almost one third of the population! Symptoms include: Pain, stiffness, limited movement and fatigue. All of which can affect quality of life and your independence. Poor MSK health significantly impacts individuals, employers, the NHS, and the wider economy. Versus Arthritis explain one in three current UK employees has a long-term health condition, and MSK conditions accounted for over 23 million working days lost in 2021. In 2017, the cost to healthcare, social services, and the economy amounted to over £2.5 billion. What can you do for yourself or your colleagues? Changing things up by taking regular breaks, for example going for a walk, getting a coffee, checking in with a colleague etc. can help reduce periods of sedentary time. There are plenty of ways you can keep moving. Did you know? If you’re regularly sat for more than eight hours a day, with little to no physical activity, you share the same risks to your health as smokers. Stay active at your desk. Set alarms to help build in the habit of stretching and moving whilst working. Whether you are in the office or working from home, keep your body moving! Are you an employer and do you offer workstation assessments? Ensure these are followed through and not a tick box exercise. Do you work at a desk regularly? You can help yourself by ensuring that you are in a supportive, comfortable chair, looking after your posture. Change positions regularly. Check how your screens are placed. Do you work from home? Check that your MSK health is not impacted. Visit Posturite to learn more. Engage with quality manual handling training. Everyone can benefit from learning how to correctly lift and move objects, regardless of their role. Understanding good manual handling practices helps in various situations, such as putting away deliveries, taking mail to the post office, or reaching for items overhead. Gov.uk covers the basics. Check out the below posters fromThe Chartered Society Of Physiotherapists. Walking and standing meetings Traditional boardroom-style or seated meetings not only contribute to sedentary time, but being indoors and under artificial light may also not be the most effective way of discussing an issue or looking for a solution. Some organisations are now practicing standing and walking meetings. Not only does this help tackle this health issue, but it has also shown to increase engagement, activity, and productivity.  Mind Tools explains that walking and standing meetings are exactly what they sound like: meetings that take place while participants are walking around or standing. It could involve a few minutes of “walk and talk” with a colleague en route to another part of the building, or it could be a more organised stroll around the site or grounds while you and a few colleagues generate ideas or solve a problem. Tips for arranging walking meetings:  Prepare an agenda: A walking segment can be great for generating ideas and problem solving or allowing time for general discussion. During a longer meeting giving some time for standing and walking elements can help to keep people energised. Let people know in advance: Colleagues may want to ware appropriate footwear, or additional layers, sunglasses, hats etc. depending on the weather. Plan your route: Depending on the weather or what you might be planning to walk around you may want to consider alternative routes and safe routes. Confidentiality: Consider where you will be walking and if it is an appropriate place for certain discussions. You don’t want anything confidential being shared to others. Consider the physical ability of your team: Walk at a suitable pace for everyone involved and allow sitting breaks for those who may struggle with standing for long periods. Keep the meeting concise: Keep the meeting succinct and with a minimal requirement of resources. Opt for smaller groups: Smaller groups allow everyone to be heard. Follow up & seek feedback: Follow up on your meeting and seek feedback from the team. What are the advantages?Studies show that regular exercise reduces anxiety and helps build up tolerance for stress. Mental health and wellbeing can be improved. The combination of fresh air, daylight and walking is a great stress reliever and exposure to daylight helps your body produce beneficial chemicals, such as serotonin and Vitamin D. Seasonal Addictive Disorder sufferers will also thank you for the opportunity to get some natural light. Research by the American Psychological Association shows that walking enhances people’s creativity and productivity. According to neuroscientists, walking increases blood flow to the brain which helps people to express ideas more fluently.  Physiotherapy self-referralYou and / or your employees can benefit from free NHS physiotherapy at any time, without needing to see a clinician (e.g. your GP) first. See our physiotherapy self-referral FAQ for information. Don’t wait for it to get worse; refer yourself today. Physical activity guidelinesThe World Health Organisation, the UK Government and numerous other organisations and official bodies have published their own very visual and sharable ‘what looks good’ guides for everyday adult activity. Why not download the posters for your walls? Thank you for reading. David B.

2022 – 2023 Annual Report Share this page: As we complete our eighth year, find out about what our service has achieved during 2022/23. Our annual report explores how we strive to put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Read about what we have learnt throughout the year and how we use the feedback of patients and service users to inform improvement across the service. Click the below to download the report. SMSKPE Annual Report 2022 - 2023

Physiotherapy Self-Referral Share this page:   3 minute read Sussex MSK Partnership East (SMSKPE) offers a self-referral service for physiotherapy. This service allows patients to access physiotherapy without needing to see their GP first. The advantage to you is that we get your referral quickly, in your own words, which helps us to make the best plan for your first appointment. You will be able to easily find and follow the link from our front page, or at the bottom of this article, to start your self-referral. For some frequently asked questions, see the guidance below. Who is it for? All patients aged 16 or older, living in East Sussex and registered to one of the GP practices listed here: GP Practices served by SMSKPE. If you’re not sure if you are registered within our catchment area, feel free to get in touch with us to discuss. What is it for? If you have a problem that is affecting your bones, joints or muscles and would like an assessment from a physiotherapist, or have previously had successful physiotherapy that you would like to engage with again, fill out our online form and describe your issue in as much detail as possible. Do I need to see my GP first? No, you do not need to wait to see your GP if you would like physiotherapy. By self-referring instead, you will help reduce demand on primary care services and we’ll get your referral started much quicker. Please note: If your symptoms are concerning you and you think there might still be a need to see a GP, please do so. If your doctor then advises physiotherapy, we will still accept that referral either from your GP or via self-referral. What do I need? You will need access to the online form. This can be completed on computers, tablets or mobile phones. It is important you provide information which is as accurate as possible to ensure you are offered the correct service to help your condition. You will need your NHS number, which can be found here: My NHS number How long will I wait until I hear about my referral? We should get your referral on the same day that you complete your from. From there, we will be in touch as soon as you have been forwarded to a provider. Provider waiting times can be found here: Waiting Times What if I need to add or change any information? Once we have received your self-referral, it will be reviewed to ensure that we have everything we need. We may be in touch if there are any questions. If you believe you have forgotten to mention something, if anything changes or if you need to discuss your referral, feel free to ‘Get in touch’   Where do I find the form?Follow the link below to self-refer:sussexmskpartnershipeast.co.uk/gethelp