ARMA Statement: MSK Services and a Second Wave of COVID-19
The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) has published a joint statement from professionals and patients discussing the need for MSK services to keep running during a second wave of COVID-19.
With cases of Covid-19 rising and the prospect of increased pressure on hospitals this winter as a result, it will be unacceptable for the NHS to respond to this by treating only urgent and emergency cases in musculoskeletal (MSK) services.
As organisations representing patients and professionals, we recognise that this was a necessary response in spring of this year. However, it came at significant cost to patients’ physical and mental health, and the resulting suffering will continue for many months, perhaps years, to come. People needing surgery such as joint replacement, people needing to see rheumatology specialists and people needing access to community MSK services were all hit hard in the effort to ensure that the NHS could respond to Covid-19 patients.
With the benefit of all the learning of the last six months, the NHS needs to ensure that pathways for MSK patients are kept open as much as possible. There have been many beneficial innovations in MSK services in response to the virus which will help maintain services. Services also need to make the maximum possible use of available resources to support self-management including patient support groups, such as our patient member organisations, who can help ease the pressure on the NHS. The government must act to ensure that the NHS has the testing service it needs, and steps are taken to manage infection rates, so that the NHS does not see the suspension of much of its core services.
