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Status
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In progress
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Technology type
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Device
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Decision
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Selected
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Reason for decision
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Anticipate the topic will be of importance to patients, carers, professionals, commissioners and the health of the public to ensure clinical benefit is realised, inequalities in use addressed, and help them make the best use of NHS resources
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Further information
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This topic has been identified by the NICE-NHS England Prioritisation Subgroup as a clinical area of high priority. Increasing the availability of digitally enabled self-management programmes for non-inflammatory joint pain including osteoarthritis is aligned to the NHS Long Term Plan, the Major Conditions Strategy, and other national strategic priority areas. This has also been informed by extensive engagement with clinical experts at a national and local level, commissioners and policy professionals. NHS Long Term Plan aims to increase treatment capacity to keep up with rising demands on MSK services.
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Description
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NICE will assess digital technologies for self-management of osteoarthritis and joint pain to determine whether they can be recommended for use in the NHS while more evidence is generated, based on the available evidence and potential to be cost-effective and address unmet need in the NHS.
Non-inflammatory joint pain happens when there is breakdown or damage to parts of a joint, causing pain, swelling and restricting movement. Conditions causing non-inflammatory joint pain include, but are not limited to, osteoarthritis, hypermobility syndromes, osteoporosis, trauma or degenerative joint conditions. Joint pain can negatively impact a person’s quality of life, affecting their ability to work, socialise and carry out daily tasks. Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent condition, with an estimated 350,000 people diagnosed each year in the UK. Treatment of osteoarthritis depends on the severity of symptoms. Face to face self-management programmes for mild to moderate osteoarthritis typically include information and advice, exercise plans, coping strategies, sleep management, anxiety management and strategies to increase energy. They aim to improve quality of life and control disease progression.
Osteoarthritis and joint pain affect around 10 million people in the UK (Versus Arthritis, 2024) and is one of the UK’s main causes of disability. In 2018, the management of musculoskeletal conditions cost the NHS and healthcare system over £10 billion, which is estimated to reach £118.6 billion over the following decade. Digital technologies for self-management of osteoarthritis and joint pain may be able to increase access to musculoskeletal services, reduce treatment waiting times and reduce the burden on wider healthcare services.
The NICE early value assessment will evaluate innovative digital technologies for self-management osteoarthritis and joint pain. It will review the evidence that is available and assess the potential clinical and cost-effectiveness of the technologies, as well as identifying evidence gaps to help direct evidence generation. |
Provisional Schedule
| Specialist committee member recruitment |
09 January 2025 - 06 February 2025 |
| Scoping workshop |
05 March 2025 |
| Final scope |
20 March 2025 |
| Committee meeting: 1 |
19 June 2025 |
| Draft guidance |
22 July 2025 - 05 August 2025 |
| Resolution |
04 September 2025 |
| Expected publication |
02 October 2025 |
Project Team
Email enquiries
| External Assessment Group |
Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd |
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Date
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Update
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09 January 2025
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Launch |
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09 January 2025
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In progress. Topic launched |
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20 March 2024
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Awaiting development. Status change linked to Topic Selection Decision being set to Selected |
For further information on our processes and methods, please see our early value assessment interim statement.