What is Musculoskeletal (MSK)

What are MSK Conditions?

MSK conditions are those that affect bones, joints, muscles, joints and nerves.

Who is the Sussex MSK Health: Brighton & Hove and West Sussex Service?

The team is comprised of Advanced Practitioners, Care Navigators, Nurses, clinical nurse specialists, Consultants, Occupational Therapists, Osteopaths, Pharmacists Physiotherapists, Podiatrist, Podiatric Surgeons, specialist rheumatology therapists, and Psychologists. To learn more about the organisation visit our About Us page.

Physiotherapy and Osteopathy are more than just exercises. They are specialists in providing assessment and rehabilitation for all MSK conditions. Their focus is on you, your lifestyle, and your goals aiming to help resolve your current problem but also stop it from happening again. They provide long-term management advice. You and your clinician will work together to understand who you are, your needs and goals, and help you to live your life to the full the way you want to. They work to reduce pain and restore function and movement. If needed our therapists can refer you on to see an Advanced Practitioner.

MSK Advanced Practitioners are for those who need extra support or further input for more complex conditions. Our Advanced Practitioners (APs) are able to refer for treatment of more complex conditions. They can refer for diagnostics (X-rays, MRI’s, Ultrasounds, etc) and refer for more invasive treatments (injections, surgeries, etc) if these are needed.

Occupational Therapists can help people who have difficulty with their everyday work, home or leisure activities because of illness or disability. We will work with you to find solutions to these difficulties, aiming to help you to carry on as independently as possible with your daily activities

Rheumatology consultants, clinical nurse specialists, and rheumatology practitioners, are trained members of the multidisciplinary team who have specialist experience in looking after your rheumatology needs, or issues arising from your condition. We participate in comprehensive disease management to control disease activity, to reduce your symptoms and improve your wellbeing.  This can include education, medication management, prescribing medication, joint injections, requesting investigations, referring you to onward services and signposting you to further information. We support you to self-manage your condition for a better outcome

Care Navigators can help manage healthcare needs giving guidance through the healthcare system. Their role is to provide personalized support and
assistance in coordinating care, education, access to local resources.

Administrators are the point of contact for patients They are a vital part of the Service offered by Sussex MSK Health

Podiatrists and Podiatric Surgeons are foot and ankle specialists who focus on conditions that require orthotics or soft tissue surgical procedures

First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) are Advanced Practitioners who work within GP practices, offering MSK assessments, advice and guidance, and referrals for diagnostics and to Physiotherapy/MSK straight from the GP practice

Consultants work with us as part of our multidisciplinary team. They work alongside APs and nurses in community clinics

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