Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the access to (a) treatment and (b) support services for people with musculoskeletal conditions.

The Government recognises the importance of access to treatment and support services for people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

To improve access to treatment for those with MSK conditions, we are working to deliver the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. GIRFT teams are working with health system leaders to further reduce MSK community waiting lists, which are the highest of all community waiting lists in England, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services.

The 10-Year Health Plan will also support people including those with MSK conditions to better manage their condition and access services and support through the three health shifts.

For example, as part of a major transformation of the National Health Service under the 10-Year Health Plan, patients with MSK conditions will also soon be able to bypass their general practices (GPs) and directly access community services, including physiotherapy, pain management, and orthopaedics, in the NHS App. The landmark change will deliver faster treatment for the flare up of existing conditions including arthritis, backpain, and joint pain, while enabling GPs to focus on more complex cases, reducing pressure on hospitals, and freeing up GPs.