Versus Arthritis Statement

Chief Executive of Versus Arthritis, Deborah Alsina MBE, responded to the Prime Minister’s announcement:

‘We’re pleased to see today’s Elective Reform Plan for reducing NHS waiting times, a crucial step in helping to ensure people with arthritis can access the treatment they need to live the lives they choose.

“Waiting lists for Trauma  and Orthopaedic treatment remain among the highest in the NHS, hitting record levels. We know operations like joint replacements can be transformative,  enabling people with arthritis to get back to or stay in work and could prevent a spiral of declining physical and mental health.

“We welcome the Government’s commitment to ensure most patients wait no longer than 18 weeks to start their treatment by the end of this parliament. However, it remains vital that we see progress for reducing waiting times for life-changing treatment urgently. We await to see how these plans align with the NHS Ten Year Health Plan for England, due in Spring.

“Above all else, these plans must deliver for the millions of people  with arthritis and MSK conditions who have been overlooked for too long.”

The importance of today’s announcement:

• The waiting list for routine orthopaedic treatment such as joint replacements has topped 1 million in the UK – an all time high. These figures have been steadily rising since 2013. Other European nations have managed to claw back progress since the pandemic, but the UK has failed to get a grip on the challenge.
• More than 10 million people in the UK have arthritis. That’s one in six people living with the pain, fatigue, immobility, and reduced dexterity it can cause. The impact is huge as these conditions can intrude on everyday life – affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and live independently.
• By the age of 65, one in two people with a musculoskeletal condition will have a heart, lung or mental health problem. It is the second most recorded reason for being off, or out of, work. 

* Further reading and latest statistics can be found in our The State of Musculoskeletal Health report.

The State of Musculoskeletal Health is a collection of the most up-to-date, UK-wide statistics on arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Including, how many people have these conditions, the number at risk of developing these conditions, the impact of these on people, health systems and society, and inequalities that can be found within all the topics above.