Growing old in New Zealand will not be a pleasant experience in the future, if the government doesn’t act now to ensure the public health system can cope, according to Arthritis New Zealand. This country, renowned for its fantastic lifestyle and fondly known as ‘God’s Own', could be ‘a waiting room for heaven’ instead of a retirement paradise.

Arthritis New Zealand Chief Executive Alasdair Finnie said, “Arthritis is the single greatest cause of physical disability in New Zealand, often leading to major joint replacement. This is now a major concern following publication of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association report at the beginning of the week which predicts an epidemic of musculoskeletal diseases in the next ten to fifty years.“

The report states there is inadequate funding for orthopaedic surgery and already unacceptable waiting lists. It also suggested the number of people affected by arthritis would increase by nearly fifty per cent over the next fifty years.

Mr Finnie said the report was sobering reading and in line with many of Arthritis New Zealand’s concerns about the public health system’s inability to meet the needs of a growing elderly population. Most of us realise there is a huge current shortage of Rheumatologists in New Zealand. Waiting times of up to a year for an initial consultation can cause irreversible joint damage for people with arthritis.

There are presently 20 practising rheumatologists in New Zealand. We require a further 21 rheumatologists to meet the minimum recommended ratio of one per 100,000 people (Core Services Committee Report on Orthopaedic and Rheumatology services).

The direct knock on effect is costing the government millions of dollars in hospital admissions, surgery, doctor’s visits, lost work hours, sick leave and home care. Arthritis New Zealand estimates that one in three people will be affected by arthritis at some stage in their life. In December 2002, Time magazine published an article on the new epidemic – arthritis. The article stated, “By 2020, scientists expect some 40 million Americans will suffer from osteoarthritis.”

Arthritis New Zealand has identified four possible solutions to help delay the predicted epidemic

• enablement funding rather than disablement funding
  (this will prevent the disability from occurring in the first place)
• improved access to replacement surgery
  (this means higher priority given to orthopaedic elective surgery)
• early diagnosis and appropriate treatment
• increased education about the disease process and the need for early intervention. 

All this paints a rather gloomy picture of ageing gracefully in New Zealand......
unless we act now.

   

For further information contact:

C.E.O. Alasdair Finnie         phone (04) 472 1427
or Lynne St.Clair-Chapman,
Public Affairs and Education Manager   phone (04) 472 5645 mobile: 021 33 5611

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