MSK wait times in London alone have hit a record high of 62,685, with the national wait time rising to 385,593, the highest since records began in October 2022.
The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) regional London conference on 1 October showcased the resilience of the local community to come together to stop the Musculoskeletal (MSK) crisis, not just facing London but the entire UK.
One such example is Brian Hammond, who won an award on the night for his outstanding contribution to the community. Brian has been practising for 50 years in Sutton and was also commended for his establishment of the major charity BackCare.
Another such example is Rob Scott. Rob has worked at several British Masters Athletics events including the European Championships, The World Games, World CSIT Games and the 2012 London Olympics. His work highlights the impact of chiropractors not only in communities but at the highest levels of competitive sport.
President of the British Chiropractic Association, Tim Button commented at the event:
Our recent regional event in London and the events to follow highlight just how integrated chiropractors are in communities, including partnerships with hospitals and Integrated Care Boards. It was inspiring to bring together practitioners from across the London to celebrate 100 years of service.
This event comes as new expert analysis from the York Health Economics Consortium estimates that by utilising chiropractic care in the National MSK Strategy it would deliver £400 million a year in economic benefits and treat an additional 100,000 people a year and support more people back into the workforce.
Despite chiropractors being embedded in local communities for decades, with several examples of partnerships with GPs and NHS trusts, these pockets of collaboration are not replicated across the UK and was a missed opportunity in the ’10 Year Health Plan’ which only referenced MSK conditions three times. The newly announced Neighbourhood Health Centre’s, set to assist the devolvement of healthcare into the community and away from hospitals, are one such example of a missed opportunity to bring together all existing community expertise.
As the 100-year anniversary is celebrated in London, the BCA states that the need for integration of chiropractors and AHP status is more vital than ever.