OPEN ARMS
Welcome to the Oxford Patient Engagement Network for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions
Patients and carers are invited to help shape the future of our research and treatment of musculoskeletal bone, muscle and joint conditions and inflammatory joint, gut and skin conditions.
Medical researchers in Oxford are working to better understand conditions like arthritis, colitis and psoriasis so that more effective treatments can be developed. NDORMS (Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences) is part of the University of Oxford. NDORMS works closely with the local hospitals to help people with these conditions and other inflammatory and musculoskeletal issues.
To make sure our research will truly benefit people living with musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions it’s important to hear the voices of patients, carers, and anyone else affected by these conditions. We also want to ensure that we communicate our science in a way that makes sense to the public. Patient and public ideas therefore guide how we plan, carry out, and communicate our science.
OPEN ARMS mailing list
Members of the public who would like to help shape the direction of our research are invited to join the OPEN ARMS mailing list, where we highlight paid and voluntary opportunities which occur throughout the year. We also share details of our monthly Meet the Researcher talks, where patients and carers affected by musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions can speak with medical researchers working on those conditions.
Other opportunities
We have two Patient Partner Groups – small groups of members of the public and medical researchers who meet regularly to guide NDORMS research strategy. You can find more information in the Patient Partner Groups page.
Members of the public can also sign up to partner with PhD students researching inflammation – learn more on the Student Patient Alliance (SPA) page.
Details of both opportunities will also be shared via the mailing list.
Want to join our mailing list?
People are the experts on their own conditions and have valuable perspectives from living their lives – no amount of science can provide this! We welcome anyone who wants to make things better for people with inflammatory and musculoskeletal conditions. You don’t need scientific knowledge, just your own voice to be heard.
If you have any questions about OPEN ARMS please send an email to openarms@ndorms.ox.ac.uk