News release
Embargoed until
00.01
on 3 October 2013
British Society for Rheumatology launches major awareness raising campaign
Painful, debilitating, and costly, rheumatic conditions can make even the simplest tasks —
such as eating, brushing your teeth and driving a car — impossible. The British Society for
Rheumatology today launches Simple Tasks.
Simple Tasks is a national awareness campaign to help people understand the negative
impact of diagnosing and treating rheumatic conditions, outside what is recognised as the
‘window of opportunity’ – the first 12 weeks after onset of symptoms. The later diagnosis and
treatment is received, the greater the chances of permanent damage, pain and disability.
There are many rheumatic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis,
gout, and lupus. The average time taken to diagnose ankylosing spondylitis is currently eight
years and for rheumatoid arthritis this is nine months. This goes some way to demonstrate
how these and other musculoskeletal conditions severely limit quality of life for millions of
people and account for the loss of 10 million working days every year.
Insert regional chair’s name, British Society for Rheumatology, said: “The first weeks
following the onset of rheumatic symptoms, which often occur in the prime of life, are known
as the ‘window of opportunity’. If patients are seen during this critical time, as soon as
possible, but certainly within the first weeks of experiencing early symptoms, we can help
ease their suffering and avoid long-term complications. Add a regional example of why this
campaign is important to your area. ”
Laura Guest, CEO, British Society for Rheumatology, added: “Musculoskeletal and
rheumatic conditions affect up to 16 million people in the UK, yet rheumatology receives little
recognition in health policy – this must change. It’s important that the scale and severity of
these conditions is properly understood and the priority of rheumatology is increased to a
level proportionate to its burden on both patients and the NHS. Our Simple Tasks campaign
aims to achieve just that.”
Debbie Cook, Director of the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS), said ‘Currently
many people with ankylosing spondylitis have symptoms for years before a diagnosis is
made. NASS hope the Simple Tasks campaign will raise awareness about the symptoms of
inflammatory arthritis resulting in quicker diagnosis and prompt treatment.’
Tracey Hancock, Director of Development at the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
(NRAS), said ‘The Simple Tasks campaign is so important to raise awareness of what is
often an invisible condition, but one which has a major impact on all aspects of life, not just
for the person with rheumatoid arthritis but their whole family too. The ability to carry out
every day ‘simple tasks’ is something we all take for granted, but for those affected by
rheumatic conditions it is not always the case.’
Judi Rhys, Chief Executive at Arthritis Care, said ‘Muskuloskeletal and rheumatic conditions
have the potential to ruin lives. Yet we know that prompt treatment makes a massive
difference, not only to the quality of life for the individuals affected, but also to the economic
burden that results from late and inappropriate treatment. The Simple Tasks campaign is
crucial in highlighting this important issue.’
Ends
Notes to editors
The Simple Tasks launch in association with the American College of Rheumatology, is
timed to dovetail with World Bone and Joint Awareness Week, points out that ‘the simplest
tasks can be impossible for people with rheumatic conditions’ and uses a number of images,
including a bent fork, a bent key and a bent toothbrush, to illustrate this. The campaign
messages are:

Rheumatic conditions often strike people in the prime of life and can be crippling and
life-changing

Rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals are devoted to effectively
diagnosing, managing and treating these conditions – just as oncologists treat cancer
and cardiologists care for the heart.

The first weeks and months after onset of rheumatic symptoms are known as the
‘window of opportunity’, and it is crucial that people get appropriate treatment in that
time period to avoid long term complications.
The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) exists to promote excellence in the treatment of
people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions and to support those delivering it. As
a professional association representing health professionals, BSR aims to improve
standards of care in rheumatology and secure a high priority for rheumatology services.
www.rheumatology.org.uk.
For more information, please see Fast facts below and visit the campaign website,
www.simpletasks.org.uk
For case studies, comment, interviews, and images and further information Becky Riffel:
rebecca.riffel@salixconsulting.com, 020 8675 4779 or 07725 555030 (24 / 7 press phone).
Fast facts
Rheumatic conditions

Around 10 million people in the UK have a form of arthritis, of which almost 700,000
have rheumatoid arthritis, a rheumatic condition.1

Around 12,000 children suffer from juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which can cause the
same types of pain, disability and co-existing conditions that adults with rheumatic
conditions often experience.2

Rheumatic conditions can cause deformities so severe that those who suffer from
them cannot bathe or dress themselves, while a simple task such as walking can
cause pain and be difficult or even impossible.3

Rheumatic conditions can cause damage to vital organs, including the lungs, heart,
nervous system, kidneys, skin and eyes.4

Collectively types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, is the most common
condition for which people receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA).5

The provision of rheumatology services varies greatly throughout the UK with one
rheumatologist per 70,000 people in one area to 1:147,576 in another.6
Window of opportunity

The first weeks and months following the onset of rheumatic disease symptoms are
known as the “window of opportunity,” and it is crucial that patients get appropriate
treatment in that time period to avoid long-term complications.

Treatment early in the disease, even within the first 12 weeks for some, can prevent
damage to joints and other organs, improve long-term function, and increase the
likelihood of achieving disease remission.

When appropriate treatment is started early, medical costs, disability and work
limitations due to rheumatic conditions can all be reduced.
The personal toll

Rheumatologists have led the way in discovering that the chronic inflammation
associated with many rheumatic conditions can lead to increased risk of
cardiovascular disease.7

Osteoporosis (brittle bones) is a major health problem in patients with rheumatic
conditions, due both to the effects of the conditions, as well as their treatments.8

Mortality rates for people with diffuse scleroderma are 5 to 8 times greater than
people of the same age and gender without the disease.9

Women who have lupus are substantially much more at risk of miscarriages,
stillbirths and premature deaths.10

Additionally, polymyalgia rheumatica affects women twice as often and scleroderma
affects women at least four times as often as men.11

Over 10% of people with RA report symptoms of depression’.12

One recent study showed that people with chronic neck and back pain (just two of
the areas that can be affected by rheumatic conditions) are twice as likely to develop
an anxiety disorder as those without.13

The higher a person’s level of pain, physical disability and depression, the greater the
effect on his or her sex drive and desire to be intimate.14
Rheumatoid arthritis

690,000 adults have the condition.15

Around three quarters of people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis are of working
age.16

75 per cent are women.17

There is no known cure for the condition.

There are approximately 20,000 new cases of rheumatoid arthritis in the UK every
year.18

Without adequate therapy, the average life expectancy for a patient with RA may be
shortened by 3-7 years, and those with severe forms of RA may die as much as 1015 years earlier than expected.19

People with Rheumatoid Arthritis will visit a GP an average of four times before they
are referred to a specialist for diagnosis, with 18 per cent visiting over eight times.20

In their most severe form, rheumatic conditions can lead to life-threatening infections
(such as pneumonia) and a significantly higher risk for developing other associated
conditions including heart disease and cancer.21

Just a year after a patient has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the risk of
heart attack is 60 per cent higher than someone without Rheumatoid Arthritis.22

People with rheumatoid arthritis are twice as likely to die as people of the same age
without RA in the general population.23

One in 10 people with RA will develop serious lung complications over the course of
their disease due to damage to the lung tissue.24

People with RA have been found to be twice as likely as other individuals to
experience depression.25

Up to four out of every 10 working people with rheumatoid arthritis lose their jobs
within five years, three quarters of these are for reasons directly related to their
condition. One in seven give up work within one year of diagnosis.26

It is estimated that 90% of people with RA experience foot pathology, which creates
restricted mobility and concomitant pain.
Ankylosing spondylitis

The prevalence of AS is between 0.2 – 0.5% of the adult population. 200,000 people
suffer from AS in the UK. 27

People with AS suffer an average 8 year delay between onset of symptoms and
diagnosis.28

Work disability is a major problem with more than 50% suffering work instability. In
addition, one-third of people with AS give up work before normal retirement age and
another 15% reduce or change their work because of AS.29

People with AS are more likely to be divorced or never to have married and women
with AS are less likely to have children. 30

Since many people with AS are neither deformed nor have peripheral joint
abnormalities, much of the burden of living with AS is invisible.31

AS leads to progressive spinal stiffness which may be accompanied by deformity. Up
to 25% of people with AS eventually develop complete fusion of the spine which
leads to substantial disability and restriction32.

50% of people with AS also suffer from associated disorders – in particular 40%
experience eye inflammation (iritis), 16% develop psoriasis and 10% inflammatory
bowel disease.33
Economic and work effects

One fifth of people with rheumatic conditions were forced to change career as a
result.34

One third of sufferers will have stopped working within two years of onset, and half
will be unable to work within ten years.35

A person with rheumatoid arthritis will have an average of 40 days off work a year
due to illness, as opposed to an average of 6.5 days a year for people without the
illness.36

Ten million working days were lost in 2006-07 because of rheumatic disease and the
total estimated cost to society is £5.7 billion per annum.37

Rheumatoid arthritis is a major cause of sickness absence and unemployment, and
this is estimated to cost around £1.8 billion per year.38

The latest figures show that arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis care led to a medical
cost of around £689 million a year in the UK.39

Reducing indirect costs, such as work limitations or even loss of work, can save the
UK economy around £31 million a year.40
Impact on carers

57% reported a negative or very negative effect on their household income.

41% said that they had had difficulties in their relationship as a result of RA.

63% of respondents thought that there were negative effects on their children.

93% agreed that a public awareness campaign would help.41
References
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via http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/AboutArthritis/Conditions/Arthritisinchildren
3 National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society Breaking Down Barriers June 2013 Pg. 6
4 Ibid. Pg. 6
5 Arthritis Research UK Arthritis in the UK – key facts November 2008 accessed 07/08/2013 via
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6 I. Rowe et al Rheumatology Royal College of Physicians website. Published 2013 accessed
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9 Cleveland Clinic Centre for Continuing Education Systematic Sclerderma CDC website. Published
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nshipsbooklet2011.pdf
15 National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society Breaking Down Barriers June 2013 Pg. 5
16 NAO Services for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis 2009 pg. 4
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20 NAO 2009 Pg. 4
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2
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27 Department of Health. The Musculoskeletal Services Framework.2006.
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31 National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society ‘Looking ahead: Best practice for the care of people with
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32 Carette S, Graham D, Little H, Rubenstein J, Rosen P. The natural disease
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33 National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society ‘Looking ahead: Best practice for the care of people with
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34 National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society I Want to Work…April 2007 Pg. 18
35 NAO 2009 Pg. 4
36 Ibid.
37 Arthritis Research UK Arthritis in the UK – key facts November 2008 accessed 07/08/2013 via
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/~/media/Files/Arthritis-information/Arthritis%20key%20facts.ashx
38 NRAS Breaking Down Barriers 2013 Pg. 7
39 National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society The Economic Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis 2010
40 National Audit Office Services for people with rheumatoid arthritis 2009
41 National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society Family Matters Survey 2012 NRAS website. Published April
2012, accessed 24/09/2013 via
http://www.nras.org.uk/includes/documents/cm_docs/2012/n/nras_family_matters_survey.pdf
23