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- Talk
- UK
The National Joint Registry: Working Together across the Sector: Introduction
Description
Laurel Powers-Freeling, the chair of the National Joint Registry (NJR), addresses attendees, reflecting on nearly nine years of impactful work since the NJR's inception in 2003, during which it has grown to become the world's largest and most advanced orthopedic implant registry. She acknowledges the unprecedented challenges of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its significant disruption to elective surgeries, particularly hip and knee replacements, leading to an alarming backlog of nearly 300,000 patients now waiting over 18 months for these procedures.
Powers-Freeling emphasizes the negative health implications of these delays, including deteriorating conditions and increased economic burden on the NHS, while noting the UK's slow recovery compared to other countries. She calls for greater recognition of these issues by health ministers and stresses the financial strain the pandemic has put on the NJR, predicting operational challenges over the next few years due to reduced funding.
Despite these challenges, Powers-Freeling transitions to a more optimistic tone, expressing pride in collaborating with the British Orthopaedic Association and outlining plans to share positive insights from NJR data concerning infection control, surgical practices, and emerging trends in joint replacement techniques. She concludes by introducing Mike Reed, the chair of the NJR's Editorial Board, to guide the session forward.