Act on official audit, Arthritis Care challenges ‘half-hearted’ health services

Arthritis Care, the UK’s largest support charity for people with arthritis, welcomes the National Audit Office report (published 15 July 2009) into rheumatoid arthritis services and urges health chiefs to implement its recommendations as swiftly as possible.

The audit highlights ‘minimal’ GP  training in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and poorly co-ordinated services, which the charity says means thousands of people with this devastating disease are failed by the system.

‘The NAO report echoes what people with RA have been telling Arthritis Care for years - that it takes too long to get diagnosed.  Early diagnosis and referral for suitable treatment is crucial as it can literally stop this debilitating condition in its tracks.  We applaud the audit’s recommendations that the Department of Health and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) replace their often scattergun delivery with joined-up services. If actioned, the recommendations in this report should dramatically improve life for people with RA as well as save the country millions of pounds’, said Neil Betteridge, Arthritis Care’s chief executive.  

44 year-old Elizabeth Ogg from West Sussex developed rheumatoid arthritis 6 years ago after the birth of her son. Elizabeth, who used to work as a management consultant, said: “It was terrifying when I started getting unbearable pains in my arms and legs. My mother urged me to see my doctor straight away – my father had RA and she recognised the potential symptoms immediately. Even with the private health care I had through my job, it still took over 6 months to get the correct diagnosis and start treatment.’

‘After I was diagnosed, it became very clear that my GP at the time had very little understanding of RA, how severe it was or the medication that I would need to use. I didn’t have any guidance or support and I was never referred to any specialist services, not even a physiotherapist - it was a disaster. Thankfully, I recently moved to West Sussex and since then I cannot praise the support I’ve had enough. My GP is wonderful – she has a special interest in rheumatology and I see a specialist nurse regularly as well as a physiotherapist and podiatrist. I’m finally getting the support I need to live with my condition. I can’t believe the difference in service I’ve experienced – it just shouldn’t be this way.”

Arthritis Care believes that the key to addressing the majority of the problems identified by the NAO lies in the proper implementation of the Department of Health’s Musculoskeletal Services Framework. The framework, launched in 2006 is a strategy for the delivery of integrated musculoskeletal services for England.

‘The Musculoskeletal Services Framework was devised to improve services but any implementation has been intermittent and half-hearted. As the audit says,  73% of PCTs have not even undertaken any assessment to establish the number of people with RA in their areas. Arthritis Care is calling on the government and Strategic Health Authorities, plus every PCT, to respond to the audit by prioritising proper implementation of the framework. We also want to see a  National Clinical Director for musculoskeletal services appointed to drive through improvements in services, just in the same way as one exists in the areas of mental health, diabetes and heart disease’, says Betteridge.

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For further media information, to interview Neil Betteridge or a case study, please call Christina Nicolaidou on 0207 380 6550 or Jane Spence on 0207 380 6551, including out of hours: Ref  NAO Report

Notes to Editors

1. Arthritis Care is the UK’s largest support charity working with and for people who have any form of arthritis. It is a user-led organisation which means people with arthritis are at the heart of its work – they form its membership and direct what it does.

2. The word ‘arthritis’ comes from the Greek, meaning ‘inflammation of the joints’. It is used as an umbrella terms for some 200 musculoskeletal conditions, also known as rheumatic diseases.

3. Arthritis is the biggest single cause of physical disability in the United Kingdom, affecting people of all ages, including 12,000 babies and children. Most people with arthritis experience pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving around. Over nine million people in the UK have arthritis in one of its 200 odd forms.  Two of the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).   It is not clear what causes arthritis, and there is no cure at present. However, there is plenty people can do to manage their condition and lead full and active lives.