Musculoskeletal Disorders

(asked on 9th May 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the effect of early health interventions on reducing work disability in patients with long-term musculoskeletal conditions.


Answered by
 Portrait
Jane Ellison
This question was answered on 12th May 2016

Data concerning the number of individuals who have been offered or who have attended patient education programmes is not collected. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recommends that patients should be offered patient education programmes, if appropriate. The first annual report of the national clinical audit of rheumatoid and early inflammatory arthritis, published on 22 January 2016, identifies that most services offer prompt educational support.

Whilst the Department has no specific information in relation to early intervention in musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions reducing work related disability, earlier treatment of RA and OA can help reduce symptoms and improve mobility. The NICE RA Quality Standard specifically recommends that people with suspected RA are assessed in a rheumatology service within three weeks of referral. This is because once an RA diagnosis has been made, patients can be considered for anti-TNF drugs which can significantly reduce progression of disease. The OA Quality Standard states that core treatments for osteoarthritis should include physical activity and exercise, as well as weight loss advice, if appropriate.

Information concerning the cost to the United Kingdom economy of people with MSK conditions being out of work as a result of their conditions is not collected by the Department, though there are a number of studies that have sought to estimate such costs. The NICE guideline on RA and OA both contain such estimates, with the former stating that the total costs of RA in the UK, including indirect costs and work related disability, have been estimated at between £3.8 billion and £4.75 billion per year, and the latter stating that in 1999-2000, 36 million working days were lost due to OA alone, at an estimated cost of £3.2 billion in lost production. Both sets of NICE guidance can be found at the following links:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg177/resources/osteoarthritis-care-and-management-35109757272517

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg79/resources/rheumatoid-arthritis-in-adults-management-975636823525

The Government is working to increase employment for people with long-term conditions, such as MSK conditions, in a number of ways. The Work and Health Unit, now located in the Department for Work and Pensions, has been established to lead the drive for improving work and health outcomes for people with health conditions and disabilities, as well as improving prevention and support for people absent from work through ill health and those at risk of leaving the workforce. The Unit will seek to do this by improving integration across healthcare and employment services as well as supporting employers to recruit and retain more disabled people and people with long term health conditions.

In 2015 the Government launched the Fit for Work scheme which is free and helps employees stay in or return to work. It provides an occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to employees, employers and general practitioners. Fit for Work complements existing occupational health services provided by employers. More information can be found at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/fit-for-work-guidance

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