Arthritis care 'haphazard'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

While some patients receive appropriate care from specialists, others are given very little or no support, it said.

The study was produced by the King's Fund and commissioned by the Rheumatology Futures Project Group, which includes charities, professional groups and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). The group receives funding from pharmaceutical companies that make arthritis therapies.

The study said the management of patient symptoms was "haphazard" and people experienced significant delays in accessing appropriate treatment.

It said: "The quality of ongoing care varies markedly by geographic location and needs to be improved.

"The experiences of patients and professionals, reported in focus groups and interviews in particular, ranged from examples of extensive specialist and ongoing care to examples of minimal support.

"The management of flare-ups appears to be haphazard. Patients described significant problems including delays in urgent access to specialist advice, lack of knowledge and capacity to intervene among primary care teams (such as with joint injections), and some inappropriate, duplicative routes, such as patients having to return to a GP simply to be told to contact specialist care."

Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive autoimmune condition that affects around 420,000 people in the UK.

Four in 10 (42%) of patients are registered as disabled within three years of being diagnosed.

The report - Perceptions of Patients and Professionals on Rheumatoid Arthritis Care - analysed the views of more than 900 patients and 500 medical professionals and NHS staff.