The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) regional Manchester event on 8 July showcased the resilience of the local community to come together to stop the Musculoskeletal (MSK) crisis, not just facing Greater Manchester but across the UK. MSK conditions such as chronic back pain are a leading cause of workdays lost and account for 30% of GP appointments per year. However, clinics across the North West are finding innovative ways of using their MSK expertise to support those unable to get a public healthcare appointment, as demand for MSK treatment continues to rise with 18,000 more people in England waiting for an NHS appointment in April than in March.
Additionally, a concerning issue with the government’s recently released ’10 Year Health Plan’, and it’s newly announced Neighbourhood Health Centre’s, set to assist the devolvement of healthcare into the community and away from hospitals, lacks substantial mention of MSK (only referenced three times in the whole 168 pages), yet, MSK is the second biggest proportion of GP appointments.
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 award winner Scott Middleton was celebrated for his deep-rooted network with local orthopaedic consultants, neurosurgeons, GPs and physiotherapists. Their work highlights the increasing role that chiropractors play in supporting primary care delivery, particularly as figures reveal that NHS MSK waiting lists in the North west rose to 26,392 in April.
President of the British Chiropractic Association, Tim Button, commented at the event:
Our recent regional event in Manchester 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 North West 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’.
As the 100-year anniversary is celebrated in Manchester, the BCA states that the need for integration of chiropractors and AHP status is more vital than ever.