Musculoskeletal health: local profiles
Proposed changes: Fingertips MSK profile
In 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), including the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Office for National Statistics (ONS) and NHS England (NHSE) sought views on possible changes to their health and social care statistical products. A response to this consultation was published in November 2024.
OHID would now like to ask users for their views on specific changes it plans to make based on the responses it received to this consultation, these are outlined in the changes proposal document. If you have any comments about these changes, please email pha-ohid@dhsc.gov.uk by 28 March 2025.
Introduction
Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading cause of pain and disability in England and account for one of the highest causes of sickness absence and productivity loss.
This profile's goal is to:
- provide meaningful data
- enable the commissioning of high value musculoskeletal services
Musculoskeletal data is essential for understanding the:
- health needs of local populations
- amount of people accessing services
- cost of services
- outcomes services deliver
Indicators should not generally be used in isolation but in combination to produce an overall picture of the local situation. By using these indicators in conjunction with other locally available data, organisations can have a deep understanding of areas of interest. By doing so, you can:
- understand the deeper reasons underlying variation
- identify opportunities for improvement
- support the necessary work to deliver high-value services for people with musculoskeletal conditions
For enquiries or feedback relating to the Musculoskeletal health: local profiles, email profilefeedback@dhsc.gov.uk