Support and Advice

Support and Advice for Patients

The HMSA is a dynamic charity providing a network of support groups throughout the UK. All our Group Leaders are trained and have clear DBSs (previously called a Criminal Records Bureau check). The HMSA is proud that our groups are recommended by many hospitals and individual professionals because of our positive ethos and the dedication and professionalism of our Group Leaders.

IS accredited website and literature, including a bi-annual journal.
Free Helpline for support and advice, 5 half days a week with additional answerphone service.
Local support groups, run by trained volunteers*
Locally run Facebook groups* – secure places to ask questions and gain valuable peer support, moderated by trained volunteers.
Residential conferences and HMSA Hypermobility Masterclass events and workshops, offering a chance to improve understanding of hypermobility syndromes and their management as well socialise with others who understand life with a hypermobility syndrome.**
1:1 advice from trained staff.*

Support and Advice for Children and Young people

In addition to the general patient support and advice, we tailor a number of things specifically to a younger audience.

Tailored information for children and their parents to help families who often just don’t know where to turn.
Specific ‘Kids and teens’ area of the website – with information at a level which children can easily understand, and schools can also find useful.
‘Youth Journalist’ role – where each year a teenager is selected to write for the HMSA Journal and website, building their confidence and communication skills.
Sections of the HMSA Journal specifically aimed at children and teenagers
HMSA Hypermobility Masterclasses and residential conferences have separate programs for children - encouraging good management and helping them address any concerns they have about their condition **
Educational Support Facebook group (run by nurses, OTs, teachers, physios etc) for parents to get advice on accessing the support available to their child.*

Support and Advice for Professionals

The Kent Model - providing a sample process to follow to help improve local service provision.
Training courses and seminars on hypermobility syndromes and their recognition and treatment for medical professionals.
Access to advice from qualified medical, health and social care professionals who work for, or with, the HMSA. †
Quarterly professional-only e-newsletter. (Professionals can submit information for the HMSA to share amongst other professionals, such as study days, conferences or research studies.) †
Assistance with recruitment for research projects, access to non-identifying patient data, dissemination and the option of the HMSA being the ‘patient partner’. †

*denotes a members only benefits

**priority given to members

† denotes professional membership benefits

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We are aware of the BSR statement and have prepared a response detailing our position on the subject.
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Hypermobility syndromes is an umbrella term for a number of complex heritable disorders of the connective tissue (HDCTs) which feature among a diverse constellation of symptoms, some hypermobility in some or all of the musculoskeletal system.
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