Health

Millions with arthritis ‘left waiting and left behind’ in Wales

Published

2 months ago

October 19, 2025

MILLIONS of people across the UK — including thousands in Wales — are being left to cope in constant pain, unable to work, and without timely treatment or support, according to a major new report from Arthritis UK.

The charity’s study, Left Waiting, Left Behind: The Reality of Living with Arthritis, reveals the scale of suffering faced by the one in six people in the UK living with arthritis, and warns that lives and livelihoods are being destroyed by long NHS delays, poor understanding, and a lack of investment in musculoskeletal (MSK) care.

The report, which surveyed 8,000 people across the UK — including 644 from Wales — found that nearly seven in ten (69%) live in pain most or all of the time, while 43% say their condition is not well managed.

More than half (51%) of Welsh respondents said their symptoms were not taken seriously or were underplayed by frontline healthcare staff.

Over half (55%) said their arthritis has severely or very severely affected their ability to exercise — even though physical activity is known to be crucial in preventing other long-term conditions.

Mental health and work at breaking point

The report found that 69% of respondents said waiting for treatment had harmed their mental health, with anxiety, low mood and isolation all common.

More than half (57%) said arthritis had impacted their ability to work, while 45% said they had stopped work completely because of the condition. A further 41% said arthritis played a part in their decision to retire.

For many, daily life has become a battle with chronic pain and exhaustion.
Tina Gough, from Ferryside, who has osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, has been waiting for surgery for three years.

“I’ve been waiting for a double shoulder replacement and surgery on my wrist for three years,” she said. “My husband has to cut up my food and brush my hair because I can’t lift my shoulders.
I know I’m not the only one on a waiting list, but people don’t see what happens behind closed doors — when you try to get on with life despite being in constant pain.”

A ‘ticking timebomb’ for Wales

Arthritis UK Chief Executive Deborah Alsina MBE said the condition remains “grossly misunderstood”, and called for urgent action from governments and health services.

“Too many people with arthritis in Wales and across the UK are being left unsupported and left to face daily pain, without timely diagnosis and adequate treatment,” she said.
“Arthritis is not an inevitable part of ageing. We are sitting on a ticking timebomb of costs that the country will struggle with if it is not properly recognised as a major risk to public health.”

The charity says early diagnosis and better management of arthritis could reduce NHS pressures, improve mental wellbeing, and keep more people in work. But many patients are waiting years for orthopaedic surgery or specialist appointments — particularly in Wales, where waiting times for joint replacements remain among the longest in the UK.

Welsh Government urged to act

Mary Cowern, Head of Nation at Arthritis UK Cymru, said Wales urgently needs to deliver on its commitment to improve musculoskeletal care.

“Arthritis UK has called for improved training for frontline healthcare professionals to enable earlier diagnosis and better support,” she said.
“The Welsh Government has developed an All-Wales Multi-Professional Musculoskeletal Capability Framework to improve skills and knowledge of NHS staff in primary and community care. But it’s vital that this plan is implemented quickly — and that long waiting times for surgery are reduced as soon as possible.”

Unequal and unfair

The report found that the impact of arthritis is not evenly spread. Younger adults, people from lower-income backgrounds, and those with autoimmune inflammatory conditions — such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis — experience worse outcomes, longer waits, and greater mental health impacts.

People from lower social grades were more likely to report unmanaged pain and less likely to find self-management techniques useful, while younger adults faced stigma and disbelief from healthcare professionals who often dismissed them as “too young” to have arthritis.

The survey found that 40% of all respondents said arthritis had negatively affected their personal relationships, while 30% said their sleep was severely affected by their symptoms.

A hidden crisis in Wales

The findings come amid record NHS waiting lists, with more than 60,000 people in Wales currently waiting for orthopaedic treatment. In Pembrokeshire, residents continue to face delays at Withybush Hospital and other regional centres, leaving many unable to work, exercise, or live independently.

Arthritis UK says the situation is “not inevitable” and can be changed through investment, training, and recognition of arthritis as a national health priority.

The charity has also announced a rebrand from Versus Arthritis to Arthritis UK, following consultation with people living with the condition. It hopes the change will make its services easier to find and raise awareness of the support available.

Arthritis UK provides support, training, and research funding, and is calling for arthritis and other MSK conditions to be recognised as a major public health issue. It says people with arthritis must have equal access to personalised treatment and care, regardless of where they live, and should be empowered to take an active role in decisions about their health.

The full report, Left Waiting, Left Behind: The Reality of Living with Arthritis, is available at www.arthritis-uk.org

Health

Learning disability packs rolled out across local emergency departments

Published

13 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FOLLOWING a successful pilot at Glangwili Hospital’s emergency department, Hywel Dda University Health Board (UHB) has rolled out Learning Disability Packs across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire.

These packs are designed by the health board’s Learning Disabilities Team to make emergency hospital visits less stressful and more accessible for adults with learning disabilities. They provide clear, simple information and reassurance for patients and their families.

The pack is available at Bronglais, Glangwili, Withybush hospital’s emergency departments (A&E) and Prince Philip Hospital’s Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU).

It is designed to provide clear, simple information and reassurance and includes:

Easy Read information
Pictures and symbols to aid understanding
Details about what will happen during the visit
Information about staff who can help

To ensure the packs are offered promptly, the Learning Disabilities Team is working closely with front-of-house staff and holding staff drop-in sessions. Posters will also promote their availability throughout departments and patients, or their carer can ask for a pack at the reception desk.

“These packs were developed to help make emergency care less stressful and more accessible for adults with learning disabilities. We’re delighted these packs are now available across our hospitals,” said Melissa Evans, Learning Disabilities Health Facilitation and Liaison Team Manager, at Hywel Dda UHB.

Anyone with a learning disability is also encouraged to complete a Health Profile and share it with health workers when visiting hospital. This profile includes essential information for health workers and can be used across all health and social care appointments.

Melissa added: “A Health Profile is an important communication tool for people with a learning disability. It can include information about how to communicate, their medication and allergies, and the reasonable adjustments they may need.

“Everyone is different, so we encourage anyone with a learning disability to fill in a Health Profile and take it with them when you need to go to hospital or see health and social care staff.”

Health Profiles are available to download at https://www.improvementcymru.net/health-profile along with advice on how to fill it in.

Health

Paediatricians urge parents in Wales to get children vaccinated against flu this winter

Published

16 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PAEDIATRICIANS are urging parents and carers across Wales to ensure their children receive the flu vaccine, as early-season data shows high rates of flu among babies, children and young people.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a new fact sheet for families in Wales, amid concerns that flu is already circulating widely in communities. Clinicians say many people still underestimate the seriousness of flu, wrongly believing it to be little more than a heavy cold.

However, flu can cause severe illness in children and lead to complications such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Each winter, thousands of children across the UK – including those with no underlying health conditions – require hospital care because of flu.

The RCPCH fact sheet aims to provide clear, evidence-based information for families and includes:

• Who is eligible for the flu vaccine
• Where to get vaccinated in Wales
• What to do if an appointment has been missed
• Answers to common questions on safety and effectiveness

The guidance is available now and comes as health services prepare for what is expected to be a challenging winter.

Dr Malcolm Gajraj, RCPCH Officer for Wales, said: “Flu is not something to take lightly. We are already seeing considerable cases of flu among children in Wales, and we know from experience that flu can lead to serious illness and hospital stays. The vaccine is safe, effective and the best way to protect your child. By getting your child vaccinated, you’re helping to keep them well and reduce the spread of flu in our communities.”

Health

Women driven to end pregnancies amid row over £28 drug

Published

20 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

A DOCTOR who facilitated abortions for two women with much-wanted pregnancies was not allowed to prescribe a £28 anti-sickness drug due to cost-effectiveness rules in Wales.

The stark warning came as petitioners called on the Welsh Government to place Xonvea, the only licensed medication for severe pregnancy sickness, on the routine prescription list.

Georgina Forbes, a specialist doctor in Gwent, revealed she facilitated terminations for two women who were suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) in a single week. HG, which affects about 3% of pregnancies, leads to extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting.

“Both pregnancies were very much planned and wanted,” she wrote. “Both had multiple admissions and were on other medical treatments which were not giving adequate relief.

“For the sake of their physical and mental health, they felt their only option was to terminate their much-wanted pregnancies – inevitably having a further impact on their well-being.”

She warned of distress for the patients and staff involved because Xonvea “may well be the medication that provides symptomatic relief but departments are not allowed to prescribe it”.

Dr Forbes, chair of the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare’s Wales committee, noted Xonvea costs £28 for a 10-day supply – “far less than the cost of admission”. She urged Welsh ministers to ensure women are not “left behind compared to other UK nations”.

In 2019, the drug was rejected for routine use by the All-Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) – which advises ministers – due to “insufficient” evidence of cost-effectiveness. Scotland reached a similar conclusion while access in England is inconsistent.

But campaigners argue the decision is a false economy. Data submitted to the Senedd’s petitions committee highlighted a two-night hospital admission to rehydrate a woman with severe sickness costs the NHS £850, with ambulance call-outs costing a further £238.

Petitioner Sarah Spooner, from Monmouthshire, argued the “myopic approach” ignores the costs of untreated sickness such as perinatal mental health support.

Ms Spooner, whose pregnancy sickness was so severe she had to have a termination, warned of inequality in access to treatments. She recalled having to travel to an abortion clinic in Bargoed to get medication, a process she described as “immensely difficult”.

While the Welsh Government has insisted health boards have discretion to prescribe the drug “when other treatments… are ineffective”, staff and patients report a different reality.

Ms Spooner’s 947-name petition warned women face a “postcode lottery” for care, with only two Welsh health boards making Xonvea more widely available.

She was contacted by Heather Kosick, a Canadian doctor, who was horrified by her story.

Dr Kosick wrote: “Here in Canada Xonvea, also called Diclectin, is readily available to all pregnant women. In fact, it is considered the first-line agent for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy due to its extensive safety data.”

Ms Spooner volunteers for the Pregnancy Sickness Support charity which pointed out that Xonvea has been prescribed globally for years, with an estimated 30 million women treated.

The charity highlighted that 57% of patients are forced to cycle through three or more ineffective drugs before being offered Xonvea, which 83% of women found effective.

One patient reported being hospitalised seven times during a pregnancy without Xonvea but zero admissions during a subsequent pregnancy when she was prescribed the drug.

About 5% of women with HG end a wanted pregnancy due to the severity of symptoms, according to a 2021 study, which found 52% considered termination.

The study, from the Obstetric Medicine journal, found 25.5% of respondents occasionally experienced suicidal thoughts while 6.6% reported frequent suicidal ideation.

Writing to the petitions committee, Wales’ health secretary Jeremy Miles said the 2019 AWMSG appraisal remains the “most up-to-date and comprehensive evaluation”.

He told the committee health boards can make Xonvea available in certain circumstances, with more than 1,140 prescriptions issued between January and July 2025. He added that the manufacturer was “unable” to provide updated information to support a reappraisal.

Mr Miles wrote: “We must ensure our health service treats all conditions and diseases fairly. Taking an evidence-based approach helps us to do this, whatever the disease, by ensuring resources are targeted at where the evidence indicates people will gain the most benefit.”

During today’s (December 8) meeting, Senedd members paid tribute to women for sharing their “horrendous” experiences before deciding to ask the AWMSG to reconsider its position.

Plaid Cymru’s Caerphilly MS Lindsay Whittle said: “I don’t think you can put a price on young families, young couples who wish to start a family and have undergone such traumatic decisions.”

He stressed: “Cost should simply not be the issue – families are suffering.”