| Welcome to the Strategic Clinical Network for Musculoskeletal Health |
| Welcome to the November 2025 edition of the Strategic Clinical Network for Musculoskeletal Health newsletter!
As we head into the end of the year, we're thrilled to share updates on major milestones. Our most significant news is the successful completion of the Integrated MSK Service Specification Consultation, which received nearly 100 responses: a powerful demonstration of our collaborative spirit across NHS Wales and the third sector.
We also spotlight the vital work of the Lived Experience Group (LEG) and its direct impact on service design. Thank you for your continued dedication to improving MSK health in Wales. |
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Latest Progress from Our Network |
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Our Clinical Reference Group (CRG) and Clinical Implementation Networks (CINs) are actively working to improve MSK services across Wales. Here are the latest highlights from our recent work: |
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Clinical Reference Group (CRG)
The CRG is focused on strategic delivery and pathway development across the Network:
- Integrated MSK Service Specification: The draft Service Specification successfully completed its 6-week consultation period (which closed on 4th November). A huge thank you to everyone who submitted feedback on the document; we received almost 100 responses in total. We are now scheduled to review the consultation feedback and complete the final service specification in December.
- Pathway Development: Work is progressing on two major pathways. The Lower Back Pain Task and Finish Group has submitted its gap analysis report, alongside the necessary edits to the Community Health Pathway (CHP), development of guidance/costing for rehabilitation is currently underway. The Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) Pathway remains in progress with the Knee CRG.
- Digital First: The specification for our Digital First tools has been written and shared with Value and Procurement teams. We anticipate industry engagement on this crucial project in December.
- Network Baseline and Priorities: The national baseline report has been completed and shared with CRG members. The MSK Quality Statement audit is in progress and will be used at the December meeting to inform our priority setting for 2026/27.
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Rheumatology CIN
The Rheumatology CIN continues to progress key pathways and service support:
- Clinical Pathways: The Community Health Pathway (CHP) draft for Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) is complete. The Spondyloarthropathy CHP has been written and is out for wider consultation.
- Virtual Lupus MDT: The Virtual Lupus Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) was held in July and is now voluntarily accepting referrals from across Wales.
- Webpage Development: A template Rheumatology webpage has been developed and shared with communications teams to ensure consistent, accessible information is available to clinicians and patients across all health boards.
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Persistent Pain CIN
The Persistent Pain CIN is focusing on establishing a new model for pain services:
- Service Model Shift: The 'Case for Change' document has been circulated to CIN members. External speakers attended the September CIN to enhance understanding of the need to shift towards primary and community care pain services in Wales.
- Data and Digital: An important new data dashboard tracking health board service referrals, waiting times, and attendances has been developed and is due to be launched at the November CIN meeting.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Arthritis UK has been added to the CIN membership. Furthermore, collaboration is ongoing with the Child Health Network and the Women's Health Network to improve paediatric pain services and access to specialist pelvic pain support, respectively.
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Bone Health CIN
The Bone Health CIN is finalising a revised pathway and advancing FLS and Quality Statement reporting:
- Pathway Publication: The Osteoporosis Community Health Pathway has been revised, renamed the Osteoporosis and Bone Health Pathway, and is being finalised for publication following the closure of the consultation period on October 1st.
- FLS Reporting and Conference: A bi-annual report on Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) implementation progress has been written and shared with the Cabinet Secretary.
- Quality Audit: Health boards will complete an audit tool to benchmark their services against the Quality Statement. This will contribute to a co-produced national progress report by collating and analysing results from health board audit leads.
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SAVE THE DATE!
The FLS Conference 2026 has been confirmed for:
Thursday 11th June 2026 (Please note the date is confirmed, but the specific venue and agenda will follow.) |
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MSK Prevention-Based Healthcare Workshop:
Key Highlights and Next Steps |
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Held on 13th November, the recent MSK Prevention-Based Healthcare Workshop brought together clinicians, public health experts, economists, lived experience representatives, and third sector partners to advance prevention-based health care in Wales. Led by Robert Letchford (National Clinical Lead MSK), the session featured insights from Professor Melanie Jones (Cardiff University) on the economic impact of musculoskeletal conditions and employment, and Amrita Jesurasa (Public Health Wales) on the new Prevention-Based Health and Care Framework.
Key Takeaways Included:
- The importance of upstream prevention and collaboration across sectors.
- Data showing rising disability prevalence and its effect on work, especially in Wales.
- The need for systematic, evidence-based approaches to MSK prevention, including workforce development and person-centred outcomes.
- Plans for an MSK Prevention Toolkit and a new steering group to drive action and share best practice.
Robert Letchford highlighted the challenge for clinical services is to clarify their role in prevention - identifying which activities have the highest value and how to collaborate effectively to make the most impact within their scope.
Attendees discussed challenges such as workplace support, measuring outcomes that matter to patients, and integrating prevention across the life course. The workshop concluded with a call for multidisciplinary engagement to co-produce practical resources and embed prevention in MSK services.
For more information or to get involved, visit the Prevention-Based Health and Care Framework or join the upcoming MSK Prevention Steering Group. |
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Key Events and Conferences
(Looking ahead to December 2025 and January 2026) |
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As 2025 comes to a close and we enter 2026, here are important professional development and health research events taking place in Wales. |
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Public Health Wales Research and Evaluation Conference (3 Dec 2025): This is a hybrid event (Cardiff and Online) offering an opportunity to hear and discuss the latest public health research. The agenda often includes themes relevant to population MSK health and prevention strategies. You can find more information here: View Event Details |
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Mental Health Bill Digital Conference (4 Dec 2025): This digital event is relevant for practitioners addressing the biopsychological model, as mental health is a key factor in the experience and management of MSK pain. You can find more information here: Mental Health Bill - Westminster Insight |
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| Rheumatology Specific Conference Updates
Keep an eye out for these key UK-wide specialist conferences in January 2026:
- International Conference on Rheumatology and Autoimmune Mechanisms (Liverpool, 8 Jan 2026)
- International Conference on Musculoskeletal Disorders and Therapy (Birmingham, 8 Jan 2026)
You can access more details about these specialist events here:
View Upcoming UK Rheumatology Conferences |
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Key Partner Update:
Arthritis UK and New Reports |
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| A major update this month is the official rebrand of our key national partner, Versus Arthritis, which is now known as Arthritis UK. The change, effective in October 2025, was undertaken following extensive consultation to create a new identity that would be more easily understood, make the charity's mission clearer, and ultimately improve its visibility and influence across the UK. In Wales, the charity will be known as Arthritis UK Cymru.
Alongside the rebrand, Arthritis UK has published two timely reports that provide vital, current context for our network's efforts in Wales: |
- 'Left Waiting, Left Behind. The Reality of Living with Arthritis' Report: This brand-new report presents a powerful snapshot of living with arthritis through lived experiences and personal stories, highlighting the profound challenges people face in accessing timely diagnosis and effective treatment. The findings show how these delays impact a person's ability to work and can erode their quality of life, underscoring the urgency of our work to improve MSK services. You can download the full report in PDF format here: Left Waiting, Left Behind: The Reality of Living with Arthritis | Arthritis UK.
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- Annual 'State of MSK Health' Report: The latest edition of this essential resource provides comprehensive, UK-wide data on the prevalence of arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions, the number of people at risk, and the subsequent impact on individuals, health systems, and society. You can explore the data and findings on the Arthritis UK website: The State of Musculoskeletal Health | Arthritis UK.
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Healthcare Professionals - Share Your Arthritis Diagnosis Experiences Arthritis UK is undertaking a UK-wide project to gain a greater understanding of the difficulties people with arthritis can face, including their route to diagnosis. The project will aim to generate a greater understanding of diagnosis pathways for arthritis conditions and experiences around diagnosis.
They are keen to hear from healthcare professionals about their experience in diagnosing arthritis conditions - via two survey forms: one for Primary/Community Care professionals: Primary & Community Care – Diagnosing Arthritis (Oct 2025); and one for Secondary Care professionals: Secondary Care – Diagnosing Arthritis (Oct 2025).
The survey is open until Monday 8th December. They would be grateful to any HCPs completing a form and would be grateful should you share the survey with relevant colleagues and networks. For additional information about the project, please get in touch with Aisha at Arthritis UK (a.mazhar@arthritis-uk.org) |
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Research and Funding Opportunities
Arthritis UK continues to invest heavily in MSK research and has recently announced new funding streams relevant to researchers and clinicians in Wales.
Funding Call: They are currently inviting applications for their Research Facilitation Fund (Research Facilitation Fund 2026). This call will invest around £0.5M to support resources that are hard to obtain and will facilitate impactful MSK research. Sign up here to be the first to hear about the latest research funding from Arthritis UK: Join our community - Arthritis UK
Opportunity to join Arthritis UK Research Expert Committee: Arthritis UK are recruiting for a new Co-Chair and members for their Research Expert Committee. This committee assists the charity in planning and developing their research investments and activities. Find out more and apply here: How we deliver research | Arthritis UK
Research News: Researchers funded by Arthritis UK and the Nuffield Foundation have found that current care for musculoskeletal conditions like back pain and osteoarthritis is failing to close an important 'inequality gap' in pain and disability. You can read more here: Current care failing to close 'inequality gap' in musculoskeletal pain | Arthritis UK |
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LEG Impact: Shaping Pathways and Priorities |
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The Lived Experience Group (LEG) is actively shaping clinical pathways and network priorities, ensuring that the real-life experiences of people living with MSK conditions are not just heard, but are integrated into service planning. |
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Member Spotlight: Natalie Snuggs
LEG member Natalie Snuggs shared her powerful motivation for joining the network:
"Without LEGs, the people making policy decisions can only see one part of the picture. This often means that services, although offered with the best intentions, do not meet the needs of the users and can cause further suffering."
Natalie's input at recent meetings has already instigated a significant piece of work:
- Sensitive Language Campaign: Natalie proposed developing a campaign to promote sensitive language, mirroring models like trauma-sensitive language, to improve communication and reduce patient distress. A working group is being established to assess current language models and develop this new campaign.
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Resource Spotlight: Pain Concern
Following a recent LEG discussion regarding practical tools for supported self-management, member Paul Evans recommended resources from the charity Pain Concern. We are particularly proud to celebrate that Paul, who lives with chronic pain, is an independent producer of Pain Concern's highly regarded Airing Pain podcasts!
Paul whole-heartedly endorses these free resources, which align perfectly with the LEG's focus on practical self-management:
Healthcare professionals are encouraged to actively direct patients towards these valuable free resources. |
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The Framework: Essential Strategic Guidance
All the work, progress, and pathway development highlighted in this newsletter are driven by an overarching national strategy: Living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions in Wales: A framework for the future 2024-2029.
This framework remains the core strategic guidance for the network. It sets the five national priorities for MSK health over the next five years, making it an essential reference point for all health board planning, quality improvement audits, and the design of the Integrated MSK Service Specification. We encourage all partners and stakeholders to review the document to understand how their local work aligns with the national strategic vision. |
| Key National Reports
Two recent national reports provide vital data for service planning and benchmarking, directly supporting the work of our Clinical Implementation Networks (CINs): |
- National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit (NEIAA) State of the Nation Report: This new report outlines key findings on the quality of care for people with suspected inflammatory arthritis. The data is essential for health boards planning service improvements and pathway alignment with national standards, particularly for the Rheumatology CIN. Read the NEIAA Report
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- National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) Annual Report 2024: The latest annual report provides critical data on the audit of hip fracture care, including quality indicators and outcomes. This is a must-read for FLS teams and those involved in the Bone Health CIN's quality improvement work. Read the NHFD Annual Report
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Upcoming Courses from Arthritis UK - Fully Funded
MSK Advent Learning Series – December 2025 Join Arthritis UK (formally Versus Arthritis) this December for their MSK Advent Learning Series — three concise, practical online sessions designed to support primary care clinicians in the diagnosis and management of common musculoskeletal and rheumatological presentations. Each session is standalone, so you can attend one, two or all three depending on your interests and learning needs. All events are delivered live by expert clinicians, with time for questions and discussion. These short, focused sessions are ideal for GPs, GP trainees, FCPs, physiotherapists, nurses and anyone involved in MSK or chronic pain management in primary care.
What do the courses entail:
Monday 1st December 6-8pm Is it inflammatory Joint Disease or Fibromyalgia? Differentiating between inflammatory arthritis and fibromyalgia is a difficult skill in a primary care setting, with huge implications for the patient and NHS. This training session will cover:
- The clues in the history and examination that will help.
- How to use investigations sensibly and cost-effectively.
- How to communicate and explain the diagnosis.
- How to facilitate self-management, including various types of patient information.
Monday 8th December 6-8pm Managing Chronic Pain in Primary Care A session that covers NICE guidelines and consultation skills to manage difficult interactions. Managing chronic pain can be one of the most difficult aspects of primary care, often leading to dissatisfaction for both you and your patients. This two-hour session is designed to give you the confidence and skills to navigate these consultations. The course provides a clear, evidence-based framework to help you improve patient outcomes and feel more confident in your approach. The session covers:
- An outline of the latest NICE guidelines and what they mean for you and your patients.
- New consultation skills to help manage difficult interactions.
- The principles of medication use in chronic pain
Monday 15th December 6-7pm Encouraging physical activity in the management of MSK conditions This session will explore how to use physical activity as an effective and practical tool in the management of patients with arthritis and MSK conditions. We will review the current physical activity guidelines and demonstrate how to apply them safely and confidently in everyday consultations. Attendees will learn about the evidence-based benefits of physical activity for MSK health, understand how movement can support symptom management, and gain practical tips and resources to enhance patient conversations. The session will equip clinicians with straightforward, person-centred approaches to help patients build confidence, increase activity levels and improve their overall wellbeing.
To book a place on one, two or all 3 courses then please use the form below, these courses are fully funded for HCPs in Wales. Booking Form - Arthritis UK MSK Advent series booking form – Fill in form
Any questions please contact Danni Welsh: d.welsh@arthritis-uk.org |
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Get Involved and Share Your Feedback |
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| We are already planning the next edition of the newsletter and want to hear from you!
What was the one most valuable thing you learnt from this edition?
Please take a moment to share your answer and submit your suggestions for future content, success stories, or key topics to feature via our quick feedback form: MSK Strategic Network Newsletter Feedback (November 2025)
Stay tuned for updates on our progress and how you can get involved in improving MSK health in Wales. |
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