Simon Opher, Member of Parliament for Stroud, hosted local chiropractors and GPs from the Five Valleys Medical Practice to learn more about how back pain and musculoskeletal (MSK) services are operating alongside NHS provision at a time when waiting lists remain worryingly high across the country.
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, in communities, in primary care settings, to improve access for patients.
The visit comes as figures show more than 49,000 patients are currently on MSK waiting lists across South West England, with over 7,500 waiting to be seen in the Gloucestershire ICB alone. In Stroud, residents have raised concerns about delays in accessing MSK care and the effect this can have on their ability to work and carry out daily activities. National and regional data shows 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 roundtable brought together Simon Opher MP, Faye Dean, the Vice President of the BCA, local chiropractors Richard Brown, Alexandra Hobbs, Claire Smith, Lucy Thomas, and Dr Anne Hampton and Dr Alistair Smith, GP and Partner at Five Valleys Medical Practice to dissect the current NHS landscape and the need to better coordinate between NHS services and regulated community-based providers to ensure patients are aware of the capacity availability that could be utilised by the NHS.
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 and regulated healthcare professionals recommended by the World Health Organisation and NICE guidelines, argue they must be part of the solution if we are to transition care into communities and away from hospitals.
Mr Opher 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 Stroud.
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.
Simon Opher MP for Stroud said:
“Getting people back to work, reducing pain, and cutting waiting times must be a national priority. Speaking to constituents who deliver care in our communities shows the real impact of these challenges and why tackling them is vital for improving lives"
Faye Deane, Vice President of the BCA said:
“We were very grateful for the opportunity to highlight to Simon Opher how chiropractors can support the NHS. Chiropractors are ready to aid their public sector colleagues so patients are seen in a timely manner and can return to healthy, productive lives.
Musculoskeletal problems can devastate people’s ability to work and live comfortably. The BCA are working to support the NHS and our other MSK and back pain counterparts to deliver care to patients up and down the country.”
As demand for quicker 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.