Versus Arthritis Downing Street Petition

Peter Dowd MP joined campaigners and staff from charity Versus Arthritis in submitting an open letter to Downing Street, launched to mark World Arthritis Day 2022 calling on the Prime Minister to “not abandon people with arthritis”.

This letter has been signed by over 28,000 people across the UK and was hand deliver ahead of the Spring Budget in March, where the government will outline its spending plans for the year ahead.

Arthritis is used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint or joints. It isn’t a single condition and there are several different types.

Peter Dowd MP said:

“Roughly 31,000 people in my constituency live with arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions. I’ve heard first hand from my local constituents the impact it has had on day-to-day living and quality of life. Arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions affect 20.3 million people in the UK and are the single biggest cause of pain and disability in the UK.

I know that arthritis can have a dramatic impact on people’s lives, from experiencing severe pain and reduced mobility, to negatively impacting on people’s ability to work, socialise, travel, and enjoy their lives.

I will continue to ensure that the Government is aware of the important issues raised by the letter and that the cost-of-living crisis doesn’t disproportionately impact on people living with arthritis.”

The letter contains three main asks of the Prime Minister:

·         Ensuring more people with arthritis can access the Warm Homes Discount scheme by reversing changes to eligibility criteria which are making this harder

·         Making sure national plans to bring down waiting times for joint replacement surgery continue to be prioritised throughout the winter

·         Protecting vital research into arthritis from the impact of rising inflation

The letter was organised by Versus Arthritis, a leading charity for people with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. It works alongside volunteers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and people with arthritis to do everything it can to push back against arthritis. It develops breakthrough treatments, campaign for arthritis to be a priority and provide support for people living with Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions and their parents and carers.