Sign up now to hear physiotherapists debate some the key issues in MSK care on 8 February

Three high-profile physiotherapists will be among a panel of speakers discussing ways to improve musculoskeletal (MSK) services in the community at an online lunchtime event next week (8 February).

The Connect Health Change live webinar – titled ‘Community MSK: how to alleviate elective care pressures’– runs from 12.30-1.45pm and is free of charge.

With a record number of 7.1m people in England awaiting NHS hospital treatment, and with winter pressures biting, tackling the NHS backlog is a ‘huge challenge’ requiring a ‘system-wide approach’, the organisers note. By booking your place, you can find out more about topics such as the recently launched MSK improvement framework, and how initiatives such as BestMSK can help to reduce pressures on the NHS.

Speakers webinar will debate issues such as

planning guidance: key priorities and practical tips

the MSK Improvement Framework and its impact on elective care

BestMSK Health: what opportunities and challenges does this initiative offer to local services?

learning from commissioners: how guidance has been put into practice and eased elective recovery

The event will be chaired by Ian Bernstein, the clinical director for MSK health who chairs the MSK Health Improvement Network at NHS England’s London region. Dr Bernstein is also an MSK physician at Connect Health. Other speakers include physiotherapist Matthew Carr, who is the clinical director at NHS Sussex and Sussex MSK Partnership East. Mr Carr's brief is to take a 'whole system view', optimising opportunities ‘downstream’ to alleviate pressures ‘upstream’. Mr Carr also supports Musculoskeletal Partners Network.

Another speaker with a physiotherapy background is Sharon Barrington, head of planned care and long-term conditionswith Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board. Ms Barrington, who will discuss the impact that MSK issues have had on secondary care, will be joined by a third physiotherapist, Andrew Cuff.

Mr Cuff is a prominent consultant physiotherapist and head of MSK at Connect Health. His topic will be: 'Embracing synergy, breaking down silos – is it time do things differently?'

The fourth panel members will be Kate Jackson, an occupational therapist by background who is assistant director of Community Health Services Transformation at NHS England. Ms Jackson will examine the new improvement framework for MSK and the benefits that the right approach will bring.

You can find out more about the MSK improvement framework, which was released 10 January, here: 

To book your place to attend the 8 February webinar, visit: https://www.connecthealth.co.uk/events/community-msk-how-to-alleviate-elective-care-pressures/

To find out about other events in the series, visit: https://www.connecthealth.co.uk/connect-health-change/