The Yorkshire & Humber AHSN, NIHR Leeds In-vitro Diagnostics Co-operative, Grow Medtech and Translate Medtech are inviting consultants, GPs, physiotherapists, researchers and patients to attend a workshop which will have a focus on developing ideas for solutions which can alleviate unmet needs in musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

The workshop will build upon unmet needs which were shared by patients at a workshop in June 2019. The unmet needs shared within the workshop were from patients with back pain, Raynaud’s Disease, inflammatory arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. The needs articulated broadly fall into the following need areas, which will be the focus for this workshop:

• Pain management

• Exercise

• Point of Care diagnostics / biomarkers

• GP and community centered assessments and interventions

• Support networks for patients

Clinicians, patients, researchers and designers are invited to attend the workshop to understand needs in more detail and to discuss potential solutions with a view to informing future research and/or product design projects.

The workshop will be chaired by Dr Francesco Del Galdo, Consultant Rheumatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Head of the Scleroderma Programme at the NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre and Dr Lesley-Anne Bissell, Rheumatology Locum Consultant at Leeds Teaching Hospital.

The objectives for the workshop are:

• Generate tangible ideas for solutions in response to a prioritised listing of unmet clinical needs within MSK.

• Develop novel research ideas

• Link emerging ideas and potential research projects to funding calls

• Create partnerships between healthcare professionals, patients and researchers.

Places are limited and prior registration is essential. Lunch and refreshments will be provided on the day.

Should you have any queries, please contact sophie.bates@yhahsn.com