New report highlights rheumatoid arthritis care failings in NHS

A report from Arthritis Care has uncovered systemic failings in NHS care provision for rheumatoid arthritis patients that could be causing significant unnecessary costs for the health service.

The 'Three years wasted' report has suggested that the UK is wasting eight billion pounds a year as a result of the poor rates of diagnosis and lack of GP awareness that is undermining efforts to care for more than 500,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients in the country.

More than 50 percent of sufferers are currently having to visit their GP on more than three occasions before being referred to a rheumatology specialist for assessment and treatment, with more than 90 percent of patients believing the NHS is not doing enough to ensure early diagnoses.

Meanwhile, two-thirds of recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee on ways to improve in this area are yet to be implemented.

Judith Brodie, chief executive for Arthritis Care, said: "It is essential that in the new NHS, GP commissioners are supported and incentivised to deliver improvements in the quality of services available to people with rheumatoid arthritis."

Data from the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society states that the condition is most commonly diagnosed among women between the ages of 40 and 60, though anyone can be affected.