Back pain and MSK conditions are a leading cause of work absence in the UK, accounting for around 30 million ill-health-related sick days each year. As the Government continues its NHS recovery and elective reform programmes, there is increasing focus on how care can be delivered efficiently away from hospitals, within communities and in primary care settings, to improve access for patients.
National and regional data show that elective and community waiting lists remain a significant challenge, highlighting the importance of understanding how different parts of the health system are managing demand and supporting patient care.
This visit brought together Ruth Jones MP, Dr Rob Orford, Dr Kevin Cox, Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, Professor David Byfield, and students from the University of South Wales. It highlighted the positive impact the university’s chiropractic course has on back care in the local area, and examined the current NHS landscape and the need to better coordinate NHS services with regulated community-based providers such as chiropractors.
As the Government drives its NHS recovery and elective reform programmes to reduce waiting times and rebuild capacity, community-based private providers such as chiropractors, who are safe, regulated healthcare professionals recognised by the World Health Organisation and recommended by NICE guidelines, argue they must be part of the solution if care is to be transitioned into communities and away from hospitals.
Ms Jones said the visit was an opportunity to hear directly from local practitioners about pressures in MSK care and to better understand how services across the health sector can work together to improve timely access to treatment for patients in Wales.
The British Chiropractic Association (BCA), the largest representative body for chiropractors in England, is calling for chiropractors to be included on the Allied Health Professions (AHP) list to remove barriers to integration and widen access to timely treatment.
Ruth Jones MP said:
“Getting people back to work, reducing pain, and cutting waiting times must be a national priority. Speaking to those who deliver care in our communities shows the real impact of these challenges and why tackling them is vital for improving lives. As Wales continues to see a decline in NHS waiting times, the chiropractic profession could further support our government’s objectives to keep this number down if given access to NHS patients.”
David Byfield, Professor at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, said:
“We were very grateful for the opportunity to highlight to Ruth Jones how chiropractors can support the NHS. Chiropractors are ready to support their public sector colleagues so patients are seen promptly and can return to healthy, productive lives. Our students are central to our community, and their work to improve patients' lives week in and week out highlights how valuable chiropractic care can be to local communities. We would welcome an expansion of our scope to enable care to be accessed through the NHS.”
Back pain problems can severely affect people’s ability to work and live comfortably. The BCA is working to support the NHS and its MSK and back pain counterparts in delivering care to patients across Wales.
As demand for faster healthcare grows, stronger partnerships between NHS services and local private clinics are essential to delivering the Government’s recovery goals and ensuring patients receive timely, effective care.