More support is needed for people with arthritis waiting for surgery

April’s NHS figures show the number of people waiting over one and two years for treatment had slightly decreased in February 2022.

Whilst this is good news, the overall figures continue to show the pressure the health service is under and the challenge it faces in bringing down waiting times.

People waiting for joint replacement surgery face some of the longest waits. This type of treatment sits under Trauma and Orthopaedics (T&O), where the waiting list has grown to over 700,000 people.

The T&O data published on Thursday 14 April, covering February 2022, shows there was a small decrease (-1%) in the number of people waiting over two years - the first time this number has dropped in a year.

There was also a decrease (-7%) in the number of people waiting a year, but a large increase (17%) in the number of people admitted for treatment.

‘Shocking’ new figures reveal people waiting over three years

It comes as separate NHS data shows dozens of patients in England have waited more than three years for routine surgery, following an investigation by the Press Association (PA).

Versus Arthritis campaigner Jo Goulding, who has been waiting almost four years for treatment, shared her experience for the story, which has been widely reported in the media.

Jo’s story

Jo Goulding, 49, a civil engineer and mum of two from Warwickshire, has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since she was seven and had both hips replaced at the age of 22. She has been waiting since 2018 for two elbow replacements and since 2019 for a shoulder replacement.

Jo recently had her left hip re-replaced, because the artificial joint from three decades ago was causing severe pain and restrictions on her mobility. She was put on the waiting list at the beginning of 2020 but didn’t have the operation until the end of March this year, after more than two years of waiting in agony.

“It was agonising to do even the simplest things, like hug my children, cook them a meal, or go for a family walk.”

Thankfully the wait is now over for the first of Jo’s four operations. It’s impossible to ignore the pain in her shoulder and elbows, but she says the relief from her hip surgery is a welcome respite from the last two years.

“I feel like me again now. There have been little achievements every day and it’s phenomenal to not feel that horrendous arthritic pain in my left hip anymore.

“It was a bigger operation than it needed to be because the surgeon had to repair damage to my pelvis caused by all the delays."

"My surgeon and the staff were amazing, I’m so grateful to them."

“There were people in the beds next to mine who’d travelled across the country to have their surgery, who were sent home crying because their surgeon was off sick with COVID-19. It was so, so sad. I knew what they were going through and how it must’ve felt. All that waiting and all the mental preparation, only to be told it was cancelled moments before.”

“I completely understand why this is happening. The NHS is stretched beyond belief and is at breaking point. It must be as soul destroying for the staff as it is for us, the people who are waiting in pain.”

Tracey Loftis, head of policy and public affairs at Versus Arthritis, commented on the latest NHS waiting times data:

Hundreds of thousands of people with arthritis are waiting for treatment in increasing pain, while their mobility and quality of life get worse. Longer waits increase the chances of complications and poorer outcomes, so a delay of several years for surgery is completely unacceptable.

Recent research indicates that the Trusts with the longest waits are based in the poorest areas, which means disabling pain and delays will be afflicting some of society’s most vulnerable people. And with many resorting to using savings or borrowing to pay for surgery, we also face the prospect of thousands going into debt just to avoid languishing on a waiting list.

Joint replacement operations are highly effective and can give a person with arthritis their life back, so it’s imperative that progress is made on clearing the backlog. We also need better data to fully understand the situation and how elective recovery plans are working, so the NHS should start reporting separately on hip and knee replacement waiting times.

This will not be a quick fix, and it is imperative that no one waiting for treatment is left unsupported while the backlog continues to grow.

Versus Arthritis has been helping people to stay fit while they wait for surgery with our Let’s Move with Leon exercise programme. The charity has also provided support and information via our free helpline and online community.

Ultimately, though, the key solution is letting people with arthritis have their operations. Until then, too many people’s lives will remain on hold.

Get involved

Through our Impossible to Ignore campaign, we’ve been calling on all UK Governments to bring waiting times down and for more information and support for people waiting in agony for surgery.

Join our campaign network to receive regular updates and ways you can take action to make sure that arthritis is kept on the agenda as UK Governments work through the pandemic.

We’re here whenever you need us.

If you have been affected by delays to treatment or cancelled joint replacement operations, then our support services and helpline can provide information and support.

Our helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm. You can speak directly to a helpline advisor and talk through what options and access to support might be most suitable. 

Our online community, Facebook and Twitter communities are available and people have told us how beneficial it has been being able to connect and talk to others who are going through similar experiences.