The Arthritis Research Campaign - helping primary care to help arthritis patients.

Although musculoskeletal complaints form a large part of the GP's workload, doctors get very little formal education in managing such conditions during their training, either in the hospital or community setting.

That's why over the past few years the Arthritis Research Campaign has provided practical help for doctors, medical students and allied health professionals, by producing a series of reports called In Practice, published three times a year, on rheumatic diseases.

These reports provide succinct and practical advice on the diagnosis and management of common rheumatic conditions and can be built up to provide an invaluable resource.

Increasingly the ARC is now welcoming grant applications aimed at improving knowledge about arthritis and rheumatic disease among primary care practitioners - by primary care practitioners themselves.

To give three current examples; in one on-going study, a team is looking at why the expectations of patients with chronic aches and pains are often not met by their GP or other practitioner, and what can be done about. In another study, fifty London doctors have been recruited to attend workshops covering practical topics to help manage common musculoskeletal problems, which, if successful could lead to similar workshops being run throughout the country. And in a third study, patients with shoulder, elbow or knee pain will be recruited to suggest ways in which GPS can offer a better service, which will result in special training sessions.

The ARC produces a vast amount of patient information literature, including more than 70 free booklets and leaflets on all forms of arthritis, and a magazine, Arthritis Today, also made available free of charge, for use in waiting rooms in doctors' surgeries and primary care centres.

The charity recently produced two new, user-friendly educational publications to coincide with its regular awareness weeks; Keep Moving, an exercise guide for people with arthritis, and The Beginners' Guide to the Internet. Each January and June, the charity produces posters and other educational material for use in primary care settings.

Visit our website www.arc.org.uk for more information.
 

 

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