Last week, I spoke in Westminster Hall in the first parliamentary debate on Arthritis in five years. I very much welcomed this long overdue debate as it is extremely important to raise awareness about this issue. Arthritis is a disease which affects many, and most know someone personally who suffers from arthritis or a similar musculoskeletal condition.
A common misconception about arthritis is that it a disease which primarily affects older people. However, arthritis affects people of all ages and takes many forms, a number of which, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can begin at a very young age. I have heard accounts from many constituents who's lives are affected by arthritis, who feel they are not being given adequate support, find it difficult to do every-day tasks and feel they are not supported enough at work.
This is why it is imperative we do more to spread awareness and educate people on conditions like this.
Many individuals in the working age population are faced with the prospect of managing this long-term degenerative illness while in employment as arthritis is not always a visible condition, the prevalence of the disease amongst the working population can easily be underestimated. In fact, musculoskeletal disorders are the most prevalent diseases in the UK working population, according to Arthritis Research UK.
Worryingly, constituents views are supported by the statistics which indicate that not enough is being done by employers to support the employees affected by this condition. It may be surprising to many, but musculoskeletal problems cause the greatest number of working days lost, around 30.6 million working days lost each year. Back pain alone costs the economy £10 billion per year.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of support, only just under 60% of people with arthritis of working age are in work.
Not only does the responsibility to support those with arthritis lie with employers, it also lies with the Department of Work and Pensions, and the wider UK Government.
The role that Government must play in assisting those with arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace has become even more important considering the growth of the “gig economy”, and the prevalence of those who are self-employed, a large portion of whom are not self-employed by choice.
I have had numerous constituents come to me for help because they have had their Personal Independence Payments unfairly stopped or reduced after an assessment. This is of particular concern regarding those who struggle with arthritis, which is very much an “invisible disability”. It can often have symptoms with fluctuating severity, which can make an accurate assessment of the impact of the disease difficult in a time-restricted interview setting.
It was concerning to me to learn a recent survey found that almost three quarters of people with musculoskeletal conditions who had a face-to-face Work Capability Assessment said that they did not feel that they had received sufficient support to help them get back to work.
Clearly, more action needs to be taken by the Department for Work and Pensions, and the UK Government, to support those in work, and wanting to remain in work, who suffer from arthritis. No one should have to take redundancy because of a lack of support for a manageable long-term illness.
What this debate made clear is the massive impact arthritis can have on a person’s life, and the huge number of local people that are living with arthritis right now. I hope it will help to increase the support available for those with arthritis both in the workplace and from the UK Government.
My full speech can be read here:
https://goo.gl/MLqbHC
