People with inflammatory arthritis let down by health service, new report shows

People with rheumatoid and early inflammatory arthritis are being let down by the health service, a new clinical audit has shown. The audit, led by the British Society of Rheumatology, found that many patients in England and Wales are experiencing long waiting times and delays. A high proportion of services weren't meeting the quality standards set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), including referral from a GP within 3 days, and assessment in a rheumatology service within 3 weeks of referral. Average wait times According to the audit: only one in six patients were referred by their GP to rheumatology services within 3 days a quarter of patients waited more than 3 months to be referred just over a third (38%) of patients were seen in rheumatology within 3 weeks of referral, with the average waiting time being 4 weeks. An estimated 20,000 new cases of rheumatoid arthritis are diagnosed each year. Around three quarters of these patients are of working age. Early referral, assessment by rheumatology services and targeted treatment is vital to rapidly control disease and minimise long-term joint damage.Early referral, assessment by rheumatology services and targeted treatment is vital to control disease and minimise joint damage. Dr Liam O’Toole, our chief executive officer, said: "The audit findings are deeply concerning. We know that early diagnosis and treatment of disease means joint damage and disability caused by inflammato...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news