I have written to the Chief Executive of NHS Fife to seek an update on the Health Boards plans to restart routine elective surgery, including for hip and knee joint replacements, highlighting that arthritis is impossible to ignore for those suffering while waiting for treatment.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on life in the UK, including for the over 1.5 million people with arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions in Scotland.
For many, lockdown has made living with arthritis even harder. With appointments, treatments and planned care including joint replacement surgery delayed, people with arthritis face worsening pain and negative impacts on their physical and mental health that are impossible to ignore.
Constituents and others have informed me that the postponement of hip and knee replacement surgery has had a significant impact on the lives of people with osteoarthritis during the pandemic.
Last year, a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of Versus Arthritis, a charity supporting people living with arthritis, showed that of 1,009 adults diagnosed with osteoarthritis, half (49%) said their physical health deteriorated, and one-third (33%) said their mental health worsened while they were waiting for joint replacement surgery. Lockdown restrictions have posed additional difficulties for many.
As we restart treatments and services within our NHS there needs to be clear plans for addressing arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. This requires clear communication so people know when they will get the treatment they desperately need as well as the necessary support while they wait for treatment.
I am asking NHS Fife what assessments it has made to restart elective surgery, when they expect to be able to resume this, if they have re-prioritised waiting lists and whether they have contacted and provided clear communication to those on waiting lists. Arthritis is impossible to ignore which is why it is essential we have local planning to ensure that people with arthritis have access to ongoing communication, advice and support to manage their pain.
