What is being done and why
Nationally
MSK Community Delivery Programme (2024-2025)
£3.5 million in funding shared across 17 ICBs, each receiving up to £300,000. The purpose of the programme is to trial innovative ways to treat MSK conditions and reduce waiting lists. The focus is on early intervention and prevention, faster access to treatment and support for return to work. The programme is administered by NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme.
WorkWell Programme
Combines health and employment support for people with long-term conditions, including MSK. The goal is to help individuals manage their condition and re-enter the workforce. The target group is people economically inactive due to MSK issues (23% of 2.8 million long-term sick in England).
Regionally
The North East will likely be included among the 17 ICBs receiving funding as part of the MSK Community Delivery Programme. These ICBs are expected to assess and redesign local MSK services, implement community-based rehabilitation, share best practices across regions and improve data collection and service performance.
Locally
As part of the North East and North Cumbria ICB, Hartlepool will benefit from the GIRFT and WorkWell programmes, targeted MSK service improvements and localised employment and rehabilitation support.
Hartlepool’s MSK Service delivers high quality, safe, evidence-based, clinically effective specialist triage of musculoskeletal referrals to ensure patients are seen in the right place, by the right person at the right time. The service delivers a single point of access for patient management through the pathway by trained Extended Scope Practitioners (ESP) providing an improved patient experience. The service also offers non-medical prescribing which allows the patient to have a medication review within the same service as they are receiving treatment to give a more holistic approach to their treatment / management plan, reduce the number of appointments needed to see different clinicians.