Take The Doorstep Challenge

People with arthritis must not be forgotten this General Election.

Right now, local parliamentary candidates across the UK are working hard to win our trust – and our vote. It’s important they hear from local people living with arthritis about the challenges we face, day in and day out – and how they can champion change, both locally and in Westminster, if they get elected.

Here are some questions you can ask if any candidates or party representatives knock on your door:

Question 1

Local and national health planning often fails to recognise that 1 in 6 of us lives with arthritis and ignores the impact it has on their lives. If you were elected, what would you do to make sure that arthritis is prioritised in these plans?

Question 2

Across the UK, the trauma and orthopaedic waiting list, which includes life-changing joint replacement surgery for hips and knees, has reached one million cases. If you were elected, what would you do to help bring down waiting times for this kind of planned care in our area?

Question 3

Funding into musculoskeletal and arthritis research doesn’t currently match the huge impact these conditions have on people and wider society. If you were elected, how would you help guarantee more funding towards musculoskeletal and arthritis research?

Question 4

Too many people with arthritis are unable to work due to a lack of support for their condition. 1 in 5 people who are not currently working report living with arthritis or another form of musculoskeletal condition. If you were elected, what would you do to make sure people with arthritis are supported to start or stay in work?

Question 5

Around 10,000 children under the age of 16 in the UK have juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and many do not get the support they desperately need. If you were elected, how would you stand up for young people with arthritis and make sure that services are there to support every child and young person with arthritis?

Question 6

Versus Arthritis is the UK’s largest arthritis charity dedicated to advocating for the 10 million people living with arthritis across the UK. If elected, would you support around 15,000 local people living with arthritis in your constituency and become an Arthritis Champion MP for them?

Download Take The Doorstep Challenge questions (pdf)

Download Her stepen drws Versus Arthritis cwestiynau (Cymru) (pdf)

Have any questions for us? Email campaigns@versusarthritis.org.