Neither Executive adopts Arthritis Care goals

Northern Ireland Executive’s Draft Programme for Government was revealed on November 17, and it included two important commitments which will make a difference for people with arthritis and for which Arthritis Care has been campaigning hard.

The two commitments are to provide better access to anti-TNF (biologic) treatments for people with severe rheumatoid arthritis and to ensure that people with long term conditions have access to self management training and other education, information and support programmes to help them manage their conditions effectively.

Arthritis Care has campaigned long and hard, with the active participation of members and others with arthritis, for better access to anti-TNF’s, which can be life transforming for people with severe RA, and which are much more readily available in other parts of the UK than in NI. The Programme for Government now pledges to ‘enhance access to life-enhancing drugs for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis…’. Minister for Health Edwin Poots MLA has said that he hopes to reduce the waiting time for access to anti TNF’s from 9 months to 3 months.

Arthritis Care has also pressed hard, though the Long Term Conditions Alliance Northern Ireland, for recognition of the value of the self management training and information work which the organisation and other groups in the Alliance carry out. The programme for Government now makes the commitment to make such training and information available for those who want it, and to work with stakeholders to secure appropriate support programmes to help people manage their long term condition effectively.

Steve McBride, Arthritis Care’s Policy Adviser for Scotland and Northern Ireland, said ‘These proposals are a big step forward, and will have real benefits for many people with arthritis. There is still work to be done in ensuring the full and effective implementation of these policies, but the Programme for Government pledges are a real success and everyone who has taken part in helping to bring them about can take real satisfaction in this very positive outcome.'

The full Programme for Govenment document can be read at:
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/draft-pfg-2011-2015.pdf
The draft document is now open for consultation until February 22, 2012.

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