HSU hosts successful launch of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Innovation

Health Sciences University (HSU) welcomed over 50 healthcare professionals from across the musculoskeletal (MSK) community for the launch of the new Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Innovation (IMHI), bringing together expert speakers, clinicians, students and educators for a day of continuing professional development centred on clinical reasoning and decision-making.

Attendees heard from leading figures in musculoskeletal health, while exploring some of the most challenging aspects of modern clinical practice, including recognising red flags, managing uncertainty and navigating complexity in clinical reasoning.

The morning programme opened with a session on ‘Making Sense of Red Flags in Clinical Practice’, delivered by IMHI ‘virtual faculty’ members Laura Finucane and Sam Simmonds. This was followed by ‘Complexity in Reasoning: Dealing with Uncertainty’, led by Neil Langridge and Matt Low, encouraging participants to reflect on how clinicians make decisions in increasingly complex healthcare environments.

The event marked an important milestone for IMHI as it begins to establish a collaborative network of practitioners, researchers and industry partners focused on improving patient outcomes through innovation, education, and knowledge exchange.

It also showcased the expertise of IMHI’s virtual faculty, bringing together nationally recognised clinicians and educators from a variety of healthcare backgrounds.

Sam Simmonds, speaker from NHS Dorset HealthCare, said: “Thanks to HSU for hosting this event and creating the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Innovation, which I’m really excited to be a part of as a member of the virtual faculty. I can see how it adds to the MSK community and will be a huge benefit to patient care.”

Participants welcomed both the practical and reflective nature of the sessions, particularly the discussions around uncertainty in clinical practice and the importance of developing confidence in clinical reasoning.

Yuni de Rosa, Clinical Educator at HSU, commented: “I came to the study day as I was interested in the talks on red flags and uncertainty, as well as topics on sports and rehabilitation. My biggest takeaway was the reassuring message that it is okay to feel uncertainty, and it’s also been good to get practical ways to break down and help understand how we manage this.”

For early-career clinicians, the event provided a valuable opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners and gain a broader understanding of the MSK landscape. Elliot Sloyan, who works within Dorset HealthCare NHS Foundation Trust and as a private clinician, added: “I am at the start of my career, so I’m keen to absorb as much as possible. I was interested in Laura’s talk on red flags and really inspired by Matt’s presentation around the human element linked to uncertainty. The event has been a good opportunity for me to understand more about clinical reasoning and anatomy by hearing from experts in the field, which I can feed into my practice.”

Neil Langridge, Director of IMHI, enthused: “Our vision for the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Innovation (IMHI) is to work with partners and collaborate with industry to help deliver better outcomes for patients, so I’m pleased to run our first event and see members of our virtual faculty all speaking as part of the programme. I am also delighted to see the interest and enthusiasm from the participants involved and I look forward to the future growth of the IMHI community.”

To find out more about IMHI and joining our Community of Practice, visit: Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Innovation | Health Sciences University

HSU also has clinical services to provide high-expertise care for local people with a wide range of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, more information can be found here: Our Clinics | Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, and more.