Self-Care Hub is a digital platform being built to help individuals manage chronic pain stemming from musculoskeletal disorders (MSK) and will reportedly draw on the expertise of an alliance of organizations in the field of rheumatology and arthritis care.

The new tool is designed to empower individuals with long-term health issues, allowing them to self-manage their conditions and take daily control of their well-being by encouraging behavior change.

According to a news release issued by LookingLocal, the Hub’s developer, it is partnering with the Musculoskeletal Solutions Alliance (MSA) to explore the Hub’s application for arthritis and related conditions.

The release notes that the Alliance unites the British Society for Rheumatology, the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and Arthritis Care. The Alliance also supports and advises commissioning bodies, other medical groups, and service providers.

The MSA will work with LookingLocal to develop a large portion of the Hub’s content regarding musculoskeletal disorders and will also provide its expertise any Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that takes up the Self-Care Hub.

The Self-Care Hub, the release says, has been rolled out by Kirklees Council’s Public Health Directorate, working with the Greater Huddersfield and North Kirklees CCGs. It reportedly completed recent patient trials in West Yorkshire under the title “My HealthTools.” Patients with chronic pain, breathing issues, or anxiety helped test the platform, and also contributed to focus groups targeting user experience, the release states.

The Hub is engineered to use cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to assist users in achieving measurable goals by promoting independent decision-making; users can also engage the support of a circle of formal and informal carers, the release says.

Phil Baker serves as director of Commissioned Services at the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, and is the main liaison between LookingLocal and the MSA on developing the MSK component of the Self-Care Hub.

In the release, Baker emphasizes “The MSA is pleased to work with Kirklees Council and LookingLocal on a solution that underpins the proactive self-management of musculoskeletal conditions. A number of CCGs are interested in the platform and we look forward to supporting them in reviewing and implementing the Self-Care Hub.”

Guy Giles, Managing Director of LookingLocal, adds “Gaining the insight and expertise of the MSA will be core to the development of the MSK component of the Self-Care Hub and is reinforcing our belief in its value as a pain management tool for people affected by arthritis and related conditions. The hub has had very positive feedback from both professionals and end-users and we look forward to seeing it bring about real improvements to the lives of this group of patients.”

Source(s): Medical News Today, LookingLocal