IN Scotland, it affects 900,000 people and the everyday consequences can be horrendous. Sufferers can feel anxious or depressed because of their condition; frequently they have to give up daily activities or hobbies they enjoy; and they often have to manage serious pain or discomfort every single day. Living with arthritis is hard.
To make matters worse, the charity Arthritis Care Scotland believes much of the impact is hidden. The charity’s director Angela Donaldson-Bruce says there is a huge emotional price to pay for sufferers but that many people are left to cope on their own. She also believes many sufferers are not getting access to the support they need and, to mark Arthritis Care Week, her charity is asking for much better access to pain management services.
We already know how hard it can be to reach those services. In theory, anyone who suffers from chronic pain should expect to receive their first treatment within 18 weeks of being referred by a doctor. They should then receive the regular treatment they need to keep their pain under control.
But in reality the system is falling far short of that ideal. Earlier this year, an investigation by The Herald showed that from July 1 to September 30 last year, only 1,610 out of 10,114 referrals for chronic pain started treatment within the 18-week limit. It is a situation that leaves many people having to wait months – or in some cases over a year – without the pain control they need.
Fixing that situation - for people suffering from arthritis or any other condition that causes serious pain – should now be a priority for the Scottish Government and the steering group it has set up to look at improving pain services. However, any plan of action will require much greater honesty about what is causing the delays: a lack of staff and underfunding.
Mrs Donaldson-Bruce says proper support can help people with pain lead full and active lives. But if the support services are to have a chance of reaching everyone who needs them, they in turn must have the support and funding they need.
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