Enriched data integration for population musculoskeletal health intelligence

Reducing the burden of common musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions requires better integration of data upstream of hospital care, however, meaningful data collected from surveys, primary care records and community service providers have not so far been linked together. This project seeks to overcome these barriers by developing a novel and scalable approach within North Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent.

From population level and point-of-care surveys, primary care records and MSK community service providers, the project will collect patient outcomes on MSK severity, impact, and levels of patient engagement, together with measures of patient experience, processes of care (e.g. waiting times), general health status, and wider social determinants and create scalable methods to link different data sources relevant to MSK prevention and management. The resulting data system will be tested on questions identified as priority by key stakeholders, for example, can such a system reliably quantify inequalities in MSK health and identify those at greatest need?

Outcomes will include templates for health intelligence reports, based on user feedback, to stimulate dialogue and action among decision-makers, service providers and the public to improve MSK health and care quality and a wide range of other local, and national, outputs to share the learning with health professionals, patient and academic audiences. The team will build on their links with key organisations such as Versus Arthritis, Public Health England, and NICE, to impact nationally.