Thousands of people across England living with painful conditions such as arthritis and back pain are set to receive faster treatment and more joined-up support, as a successful NHS pilot programme is rolled out nationwide.
Backed by over £3 million in government funding, the expansion of NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme follows promising early results. The pilot, which ran across 17 areas between December 2024 and March 2025, cut 18-week waiting lists by 20%, offering a blueprint for tackling one of the NHS’s most persistent backlogs.
One-Stop Clinics to Transform Patient Experience
At the heart of the programme are innovative MSK community appointment days – one-day clinics designed to bring multiple services together in one place. Patients will be able to access clinical care, mental health support and physical activity advice in a single visit, reducing the need for multiple appointments while improving overall outcomes.
The rollout will also introduce ‘super clinics’, aimed at rapidly increasing capacity. These clinics offer in-depth, one-to-one diagnostics and targeted treatments, helping clinicians address complex cases more quickly and effectively.
Importantly, the funding will be targeted towards areas with the greatest need, addressing long-standing regional disparities in access to care.
Linking Health and Employment
The programme places a strong emphasis on helping people return to work – an increasingly central focus of NHS policy.
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Sharon Hodgson, said:
“I’m delighted to announce the national rollout of such a successful scheme, which will help address the unacceptably long waits for painful MSK conditions.
“Patients are suffering, and so is the economy, which is why this government is taking a new approach to cutting waiting lists while supporting patients back into employment.
“The NHS should drive economic growth, and by getting people with painful MSK conditions the care they need faster, they stand a better chance of getting a job and back to normal life.”
MSK conditions affect nearly 18 million people in England and are one of the leading causes of economic inactivity. Around 100,000 people are currently signed off work due to MSK issues, with more than half a million economically inactive individuals citing such conditions as a contributing factor.
By embedding employment advisers and wider support services into clinical pathways, the programme aims to ensure that returning to work becomes a standard part of recovery - not an afterthought.
Evidence-Based Approach Scaling Nationally
The GIRFT-led pilot demonstrated how data-driven approaches and system collaboration can significantly improve performance. Participating areas used benchmarking, digital tools and redesigned care pathways to reduce waiting times and enhance patient outcomes.
Among the innovations tested were digital platforms that enable patients to manage their conditions remotely, helping to reduce unnecessary appointments while maintaining continuity of care.
Under the national rollout, clinical leads will be appointed across all health systems to standardise care quality, drive best practice and ensure consistent access to integrated support services.
Supporting Wider NHS and Government Priorities
The expansion aligns closely with broader government and NHS ambitions to:
- Shift more care out of hospitals and into community settings
- Reduce waiting lists across elective and community services
- Tackle economic inactivity linked to long-term health conditions
For system leaders, the rollout represents a significant opportunity to rethink how MSK services are delivered – moving towards more integrated, patient-centred and outcome-focused care models.
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