The Best MSK Digital Health Strategy: Survey results and next steps
Melanie Martin, Senior Delivery Manager & Digital Lead – Best MSK Health Programme
10th March 2022
The National Best MSK Health programme is an opportunity to digitise, connect and sustainably transform the MSK health of the nation. In December 2021, I proposed to lead the coproduction of a Best MSK Digital Health Strategy to leverage the potential of technology — to put patients in control of their health and data from which new evidenced-based models of care can emerge. A digital strategy will set the direction for inclusive digital transformation of MSK care, co-owned by those with lived experience and will be an enabler for the Best MSK high impact strategy.
As Digital Lead, I began by writing a blog and designing a survey inviting stakeholders to engage in coproduction of a mission and vision statement for a Best MSK Digital Health strategy. 31 people kindly took the time to share their opinions and ideas. The following are draft vision and mission statements which have been co-produced with stakeholders.
Mission (aim) statement
“Putting people at the heart of what really matters to transform care with data and technology to enable best musculoskeletal for all”
Vision statement
“Connecting people across all communities with inclusive, personalised and digitally-enabled care will support best musculoskeletal health for all”
Responders to the survey also had the opportunity to add further comments about which underlying principles were important to them to include in a digital strategy.
These included:
Collaboration
An example of collaborative resources to support the co-production of the digital strategy include the Best MSK Digital Health Exchange workspace co-created on the future NHS platforms.
Adoption of a ‘digital’ culture
The adoption of an appropriate change model which embeds the necessary culture, values and behaviours to support a technology-enabled, whole system approach to pathway improvement and transformation.
MSK leadership
The development of a MSK leadership network across ICSs to equip the MSK workforce with the necessary skills and empower all to lead with a common purpose to support digital transformation.
Understanding what really matters
Keeping what matters to patients front and centre is key to meeting the growing expectations upon MSK care and sustaining the willingness and trust of patients to receive digitally enabled care closer to home beyond the pandemic.
Understanding the current state
It is imperative to understand what we are already doing to support elective recovery. This approach will require everyone to be willing to do things together and differently through even greater collaboration.
Communication across all communities
Engaging people from communities with lived experience of MSK conditions to have a voice throughout the change process is essential to understand the wider determinants of health which drive health inequalities.
Data-driven pathway redesign
The development of a national MSK dataset has the potential to inform the measurement of what really matters through working with primary, community and secondary care.
Interoperability
A digital strategy has the potential to prioritise greater interoperability and sharing of data at the point of contact to collect, record, analyse and use data to redesign pathways of care.
Developing the workforce
ICSs will need to harness the breadth of the multidisciplinary team including first-contact practitioners, social prescribers and care coordinators who can contribute to MSK health and support people to develop the digital skills, motivation and opportunity to offer digitally-enabled care at first contact.
Next steps?
The challenges that have emerged on the path to delivering the Best MSK Health programme will need to be considered when coproducing a digital strategy. This includes the ongoing challenge of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has served as both a catalyst for rapid adoption of technology, changing patient expectations and clinical new ways of working, as well as shining a spotlight on pre-existing health inequalities.
The voice of the system needs to be heard if a digital strategy is to add value in achieving the collective vision of Best MSK Health for all. I propose a series of listening events throughout 2022/23 to explore further the emerging themes gained through engagement with the system which will inform the next phase of co-production. Please join the Best MSK Health Collaborative workspace to see upcoming events.
