Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

World Arthritis Day

25 October 2023 · 1 other contributor · 2,825 words

Opened by Tom Randall

Responding minister: Will Quince

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Tom Randall raised concerns about world arthritis day in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Hon. Member for Gedling expressed concern over the long diagnosis period for axial spondyloarthritis in the UK.
  • Hon. Member for Gedling highlighted that musculoskeletal conditions led to 23.3 million working days lost in 2021.
  • Hon. Member for Gedling requested the government to clarify its plans to expand the rheumatology workforce.

Key requests to Government

The hon. Member for Gedling welcomes the Government's inclusion of musculoskeletal conditions as part of their major conditions strategy but asks for clarity on how it will remain a key priority despite future winter pressures. He requests clarification from the Minister regarding plans to grow the rheumatology workforce, which would reduce health and societal costs.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Tom Randall

The hon. Member for Gedling is concerned about the widespread impact of arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions in Britain, noting that more than 10 million people in the UK—one in six constituents—are affected by these conditions. He highlighted a significant delay in diagnosis, particularly with axial spondyloarthritis taking an average of eight and a half years to diagnose, which is behind most comparable nations in Europe. The hon. Member also pointed out that 23.3 million working days were lost in 2021 due to musculoskeletal conditions, equating to about 80% of the working days lost during the winter of discontent in 1979.

Other contributors (1)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    In Northern Ireland, with a population of 1.95 million, there are 525,000 people living with arthritis or another musculoskeletal condition, representing more than one in four individuals. The speaker advocates for early intervention to manage pain and strengthen muscles, preventing further deterioration and addressing the misconception that arthritis is only an old person's disease.

Government Response

Will Quince

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms McDonagh. I congratulate Tom Randall on securing the debate and thank him for sharing Elizabeth's experience. I pay tribute to charities like NASS, Versus Arthritis, and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society that support people with arthritis. Early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis can save individuals over £150,000 in lost income and medical expenses; NHS England is working on early diagnosis through its GIRFT programme. The Government supports timely access to effective medicines for arthritis patients, including Rinvoq, Tremfya, and Skyrizi. We have published the initial report of our major conditions strategy, which aims to promote prevention and a personalised approach for patients. I am passionate about gene and cell therapies and their potential; the MHRA has launched an innovative licensing pathway. Funding over £8 billion is being spent from 2020 to 2025 plus an additional £5.9 billion specifically for capital projects, cutting wait lists significantly. We have not planned another medical exemption for prescription charges since 1968 but around 89% of prescriptions are dispensed free. The NHS long-term plan commits an additional £2.3 billion a year for mental health services by 2024 to support the mental health needs of patients with arthritis.

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