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<p>Since 1 April 2013, the Government has set out high level strategic ambitions for
the National Health Service through the Mandate. For patients with long term conditions
(LTCs), including musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, we have asked the NHS to improve
the care and support of patients, helping them to live healthily and independently,
with much better control over the care they receive.</p><p> </p><p>In response, NHS
England has set out a range of actions designed to deliver this, central to which
was implementation of the House of Care model, which is designed to support the delivery
of person-centred, coordinated care. The House of Care enables individuals to make
informed decisions about their treatment and empowers them to self-manage their LTCs
in partnership with health and care professionals. NHS England has provided data,
tools and guidance to support local services in identifying those most likely to benefit
from a care planning approach. Specifically on MSK conditions, the National Clinical
Director for MSK, Peter Kay, has been working in partnership with the Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal Alliance, to develop new MSK clinical networks across England to build
consensus on the way forward for models of care.</p><p> </p><p>In terms of assessment,
the first annual report of the National Clinical Audit of Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory
Arthritis, commissioned on behalf of NHS England by the Healthcare Quality Improvement
Partnership (HQIP), was published on 22 January 2016. This report, which includes
data from 1 February 2014 to 30 April 2015, assesses the quality of care by specialist
rheumatology services using criteria derived from sources such as the Rheumatoid Arthritis
Quality Standard, published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in June
2013. The report identifies that although most services offer prompt educational support
and agree targets for treatment with their patients, performance against criteria
for referral and assessment could be improved. Since the audit, HQIP has reported
that a number of trusts have successfully reconfigured their services in order to
improve patient care. More information can be found at the following link:</p><p>
</p><p><a href="http://www.hqip.org.uk/national-programmes/a-z-of-nca/arthritis-rheumatoid-and-early-inflammatory"
target="_blank">www.hqip.org.uk/national-programmes/a-z-of-nca/arthritis-rheumatoid-and-early-inflammatory</a></p><p>
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