Musculoskeletal Disorders

Mr. Lansley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total number of people who are affected by long-standing musculoskeletal problems, broken down by (a) condition and (b) age group; and what his Department's definition of a long-standing musculoskeletal problem is.

Ann Keen
A long-standing musculoskeletal problem is defined as a non time-limited medical condition which predominately affects the muscles, joints and skeleton.

We have made no estimate of the number of people living with long-standing musculoskeletal problems, broken down by condition and age group.

Mr. Lansley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of primary care consultations which relate to musculoskeletal complaints, broken down by the proportion relating to (a) rheumatoid arthritis, (b) osteoarthritis, (c) osteoporosis and (d) other complaints; and what assessment he has made of future trends in this proportion.

Ann Keen
Such information is not held centrally.