Arthritis is one of the UK’s leading causes of pain, disability and inability to work, with some of the longest waiting times in hospitals and the community. This is a growing public health crisis that must not be ignored.
Arthritis UK, the UK’s biggest arthritis charity (formerly known as Versus Arthritis), has adopted a new name and a new look, which will help us bring about greater change for the 10 million adults, young people and children living with arthritis across the UK.
Our name may have changed, but our vision and mission remain the same. We won’t rest until everyone with arthritis has access to the treatments and support they need to live the life they choose, with real hope of a future free of arthritis.
Right now, there needs to be real urgency in tackling this public health crisis. 525,000 people in Northern Ireland have arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions – almost a third of the population - yet the conditions are regularly misunderstood as ‘something older people get’ and ‘just a bit of pain’. The brutal reality is that arthritis has a massive impact on society and is a leading cause of pain, disability, mental ill-health and inability to work.
For example, someone with Osteoarthritis has a 36% increased risk of mortality, a 60% increased risk of diabetes and is 3 times more likely to have cardiovascular disease. Additionally, depression is four times more common among people who have persistent pain. Arthritis is therefore life-changing, especially if people don’t get the right care, and timely treatment and support.
We know that far too many people in society, including policymakers, underestimate this impact on everyday life, affecting health, employment and family, and do not take arthritis seriously enough.
This comes across loud and clear in a report of the findings of a major survey of people living with arthritis, which Arthritis UK conducted with YouGov. The report, Left Waiting, Left Behind: The Reality of Living with Arthritis, presents the reality of living with the condition through lived experiences and personal stories, which show the irrefutable and far-reaching impact of life with arthritis in the UK.
1 in 2 people say arthritis affects their ability to work, with nearly 4 in 10 saying that they have stopped work altogether. And over a third of retired people (35%) said arthritis played a part in their decision to retire.
People also highlighted widespread challenges in accessing effective treatment and support, long delays to secure a diagnosis, lack of treatment options and basically feeling fobbed off. 1 in 3 people (32%) say arthritis severely or very severely impacted their life in the past year. Yet nearly 1 in 2 people (48%) felt their symptoms were not taken seriously or underplayed when they were trying to identify their arthritis.
Arthritis is costing the economy and eroding quality of life for millions in the UK. Over the next decade, the (UK) healthcare cost of treating the two most common forms of arthritis will cumulatively reach £118.6 billion. (The State of Musculoskeletal Health 2025) The survey shows there is a long way to go to help people live well with arthritis, a life-long condition affecting adults and children of all ages. Around 1,200 people (in the UK) are diagnosed every day, yet arthritis remains under the radar, misunderstood and low on priorities. It’s a massive public health issue and must be seen as such.
Arthritis UK is determined to make arthritis a priority for all governments across the UK and to work towards a future free from arthritis. In Northern Ireland we want to see:
Action on waiting times, diagnosis and treatment
People with arthritis experience some of the longest waits for treatment; waiting years for a diagnosis with a rheumatologist or in debilitating pain for life changing hip and knee surgery. We need new ways of working to significantly increase theatre capacity for surgery and to improve diagnosis to ensure people get the right treatment at the right time.
Action to support patients to ‘Wait Well’
People feel abandoned on a waiting list, with no communication about when they’ll be seen or what they can do for themselves. As one patient put it “the sound of silence is deafening”. Timely information and support to help them manage their mental and physical health could prevent further deterioration in a person’s condition and even help someone remain in work. The Department of Health’s upcoming policy to tackle this problem must ensure patient support is an integral part of their treatment pathway and should be implemented with urgency.
Leadership on musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions within the Department of Health
The scale and impact of arthritis demand focus and leadership within the Department to prioritise MSK care and treatment. This would lead to service efficiencies, reduced waiting times, and standardised care pathways that improve patient outcomes.
We want to make sure people with arthritis get the diagnosis, treatment and support they need. Many people with arthritis don’t realise that there is support out there to help them manage their condition such as our pain management programmes and peer support networks. We hope our new name, Arthritis UK, will make more people aware of the information and support we offer, and how we’re creating positive, lasting change through our campaigns and research.
Find out more about our work at www.arthritis-uk.org or email John to get involved.
John McCormick is the Northern Ireland Policy and Engagement Manager at Arthritis UK, influencing government and health decision makers to make arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions the healthcare priority they should be.