February 26, 2026 - 216 views
Arthritis UK Cymru has called on all political parties to set out a credible plan to improve the lives of people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions as campaigning begins ahead of the 2026 Senedd elections.
The charity says nearly one million people in Wales — 991,000 in total, including 31,000 children and young people — are living with conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Many endure daily, often debilitating pain that affects their ability to work, study, socialise and live independently.
In its manifesto for Wales, published this week, the charity warns that long waits for orthopaedic surgery are “devastating tens of thousands of lives” and must become a national priority for the next Welsh Government.
Among its key demands are urgent action to cut orthopaedic waiting times, recognition of arthritis and MSK conditions as a national public health priority, better support for children and young people, and the appointment of a dedicated Minister for Healthcare Access to tackle NHS backlogs.
Heather Bennett Doy-Jones, from Welshpool, has lived with arthritis since the age of two.
“I have been in pain every day of my life since I was two,” they said. “It’s like I’m drowning in treacle just trying to carry on and do the basics. In Wales, it feels like it’s either one extreme or the other: sometimes support and information is very good, but a lot of the time it’s not there at all.”
Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Arthritis UK, said the human impact of long waits is often overlooked.
“People are losing their mobility, independence and even their ability to work. So many lives have been put on hold,” she said. “Clearing the backlog and reducing waiting times needs to be one of the highest priorities for the current and next Welsh Government.”
Mary Cowern, Head of Nation for Arthritis UK Cymru, added: “We cannot allow waiting two years in severe pain for surgery to become an acceptable ‘new normal’. Reducing orthopaedic waits needs to be a national priority.”
The charity is also calling for an expanded network of local and regional surgical hubs and equitable access to paediatric rheumatology and MSK services, with a review of provision in North and Mid Wales highlighted as a priority.
New polling commissioned by the charity through YouGov paints a stark picture of life with arthritis in Wales. Of 644 Welsh respondents living with the condition, 69% said they were in pain most or all of the time, while 41% said arthritis had severely or very severely affected their lives over the past year.
Nearly half (43%) felt their condition was not well managed, and more than half (51%) said their symptoms were not taken seriously by a frontline healthcare professional. More than two-thirds (69%) said waiting for treatment had harmed their mental health.
The condition is also having a major economic impact. More than half (57%) said arthritis had affected their ability to work. Of those, 45% had stopped working because of their condition and 41% said it contributed to their decision to retire.
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 estimates that by 2050, one billion people globally will be living with the condition.
Arthritis UK says that without urgent political focus, the impact on families, the NHS and the Welsh economy will continue to grow.
With the Senedd election campaign under way, the charity is urging parties to ensure that tackling arthritis and MSK conditions is firmly on the political agenda.
