"Lord Darzi’s report Next Steps set a new agenda for the NHS focused on quality of care. The Specialist Orthopaedic Alliance believes that ensuring the availability of high quality, strategically planned and appropriately funded musculoskeletal services to patients in all parts of the country is a key part of that vision. If the health service is also serious about the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention agenda then long term musculoskeletal conditions and key surgical interventions, such as joint replacement surgery, need to be at the centre of its future plans."

"Providers of specialist orthopaedic services are the only, and sometimes last, port of call for the patients they care for; and in some cases these hospitals are the only places in the UK where their conditions can be treated. However, these organisations' long term stability is under assault from many different directions, not least the ability to meet targets for treatment times against a background of under funding, skills shortages and rising demand from a rapidly ageing population."

"The Specialist Orthopaedic Alliance aims to make both a clinical and an economic case for specialist orthopaedics – in terms of patient care, teaching and research. It also works with a range of stakeholders to try to ensure that the policy of government and of other political parties supports the provision of specialist orthopaedic services and thereby benefits patients requiring specialist orthopaedic treatment. We also undertake a range of valuable benchmarking exercises to ensure best practice and best value across our sector."

"Members work together to explore and, if necessary, challenge developments relating to the national configuration of services, including the potential impacts of organisation mergers, foundation trust status and the further development of specialist commissioning to ensure high quality care for patients."