Day: September 7, 2026

One in three Scots urged to tell First Minister: ‘Don’t turn your back on arthritis’

New campaign calls for Scotland’s first-ever MSK Action Plan

People living with arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions across Scotland are being urged to add their voice to a major campaign calling on First Minister John Swinney to deliver Scotland’s first-ever MSK Action Plan.

Arthritis UK has launched an open letter to the First Minister demanding that arthritis is recognised as a national health priority and that the Scottish Government commits to a dedicated plan to improve diagnosis, treatment and support.

Across Scotland, 1.7 million people – around one in three of the population – live with an MSK condition such as arthritis, with many experiencing daily pain, fatigue and disability.

Despite the enormous scale of the issue, arthritis remains one of the only major health conditions without a dedicated strategy in Scotland.

Under the banner “Don’t Turn Your Back on Arthritis”, the campaign is urging people affected by arthritis and other MSK conditions, their families and supporters to sign the open letter and send a clear message to the First Minister that action is needed.

The proposed MSK Action Plan would seek to ensure people receive the right diagnosis and support sooner; improve access to rehabilitation and supported self-management; help people remain active and independent; and provide stronger national leadership and investment in MSK health.

Lauren Bennie, Head of Arthritis UK in Scotland, said: “Arthritis affects an extraordinary number of people in Scotland, yet for far too long it has failed to receive the attention it deserves.

“Behind the figure of 1.7 million people are individuals living every day with pain, fatigue and disability – often waiting too long for a diagnosis, treatment or the support they need to live independently. That has to change.

“We are calling on the First Minister to face the facts about arthritis and commit to Scotland’s first-ever MSK Action Plan.

“But we need the voices of people living with these conditions to be heard. We are urging everyone affected by arthritis or an MSK condition – along with their families and friends – to sign our open letter and tell the First Minister: don’t turn your back on arthritis.

“With the right leadership and a dedicated national plan, Scotland has an opportunity to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.”

The campaign will run throughout the autumn, with Arthritis UK also working to secure what would be the first dedicated debate on arthritis in the Scottish Parliament. Campaigners will take the open letter to Holyrood on the day of the debate.

Among those supporting the campaign are people with first-hand experience of the impact of arthritis, including Amy from Dundee, who was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis as a teenager; Bobby from near Stranraer, who waited more than two years simply to be placed on the waiting list for a knee replacement; Mairi from Islay, who faced years of delays in accessing treatment; and Ken from Stirling, who waited almost 20 years for an osteoarthritis diagnosis.

People can add their name to the open letter and call on the First Minister to face arthritis head on at:

CASE STUDIES:

Amy’s story, Dundee

Diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis as a teenager, Amy from Dundee, Scotland, was silently struggling in constant pain at school and had to fight to get the support she needed.

Now training to be a doctor, she faces long working hours and is worried about how she will cope with managing her condition at work.

“I’m finishing university this year and about to enter the workforce. I’m excited about becoming a doctor, but I am concerned about how I’ll manage my fatigue. Junior doctors work long hours with few rest breaks, and that makes me nervous. I’m concerned I won’t specialise as quickly as my peers. However, I hope by telling my story I can change things for other young people with arthritis. It’s not all bad news, and we can thrive with the right support.”

Bobby’s story, Stranraer

Bobby, from Stranraer, was diagnosed in 2020 with osteoarthritis in both knees. Living in immense pain, the wait began, and it was more than two years before Bobby was even added to the waiting list for surgery.

He had his first knee replaced in November 2023, followed by his second the following August.

Surgery was life-changing. His mobility returned and he now plays walking football several times a week. Today, he encourages others living with arthritis pain, or waiting for surgery, to reach out to others. Bobby also hopes to raise awareness of walking football, so that more people can benefit from the physical and mental benefits it offers.

“Yes, it was painful in the knees, but also painful in the head. It played havoc with my thoughts, my mind, my life. The mental impact is phenomenal. You feel like you’re a burden when you can’t do things. You try to keep going through the pain.  

“When I see some of the people out there waiting, I encourage them to push for it because it’s life-changing. You wake up from surgery and the pain is gone. I was a totally different person. Honestly, I didn’t know how much my osteoarthritis had impacted me until I had my knees replaced. Before, I had to go up chimneys for work, and I was really restricted on how much I could climb a ladder. I’ve worked every day since I left school. And I felt like I couldn’t give it 100% because the knee pain had hit me so hard. But now I can go up and down ladders again easily!”

Kathy’s story, Helensburgh

Kathy suffered pain from childhood and was finally diagnosed with osteoarthritis at 50, although she had been living with pain since she was 13 years old.

For so many years, Kathy was looking for an explanation for the pain she was experiencing. She watched it take over her life without having any answers, in constant severe pain, not sleeping and suffering depression. She felt she was ‘existing’, not living.  

At 47, when the pain was at its worst and had spread to her knees and back, Kathy went to see a new doctor who was determined to get to the bottom of her pain. After tests and X-rays, it was found that she was living with arthritis in her spine and hips. Finally getting a diagnosis was a huge relief to Kathy.  

“Life before diagnosis was a nightmare. I didn’t sleep because the pain was so bad and, at one point, I was on both morphine and fentanyl patches, harsh medication. The pain affected my mental health so badly that I was diagnosed with severe depression, which was compounded by grief after losing my husband 11 years ago.

I closed myself away. I didn’t know how to deal with the pain, and nobody was helping me.

“That doctor knew what I needed, got tests done and referred me to a community link worker who took me to an Arthritis UK group three years ago, and my whole life changed. It really brought me out of my shell because I’d gotten to the point where I just locked myself away. I remember that first week at a group feeling like I didn’t dare talk, scared I’d burst into tears. 

“It is disappointing that the diagnosis took so long because my life could have been different so many years ago. I could have spared a lifetime of pain. I’ve also missed out on so many things; I loved badminton but had to give it up at 14 because it affected my back so badly, and I’ve never been able to play since.”

Three quarters of A&E staff witness violence and aggression at work at least once a week

‘Safe to Care’ campaign launched

Around three in four UK Emergency Department staff have told the Royal College of Emergency Medicine that they experience or witness violence and aggression in their department on a daily or weekly basis.

That’s according to new survey data, revealed today (7 September) as part of the launch of RCEM’s Safe to Care campaign.

‘Safe to Care‘ aims to highlight the appalling levels of violence and aggression that doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff in Emergency Medicine continue to face while at work.

In the coming weeks and months, RCEM will be sharing testimonies of those who have experienced violence or aggression at work and will be calling on the four UK governments to take immediate action to ensure Emergency Department (ED) staff feel safe, and are safe, to provide care.

Levels of violence towards NHS staff has become intolerable: RCEM surveyed over 2,000 ED staff, with 96% of respondents saying they experienced violence or aggression in their ED from patients or members of the public.

More than three quarters (73%) said it was a weekly, or even daily, occurrence and around two thirds said the incidents they experienced were of a discriminatory nature.

One anonymous resident doctor told the survey: “Working in the ED, you brace yourself for a lot, but nothing truly prepares you for direct, hateful verbal abuse, especially when it’s racially charged.”

Meanwhile, an ED consultant told the survey that they had been kicked in the face by an aggressive patient lying on a trolley.

Just four per cent told RCEM that they always felt safe working in ED, and barely more than half (57%) felt safe most of the time.

If left to continue, the impact this will have on the workforce could be devastating for Emergency Medicine, with 75% of staff reporting short-term stress and anxiety, 40% experiencing burnout, 14% taking time off work – and 28% experiencing long-term stress or anxiety.

Meanwhile, many staff said they had little confidence that reporting incidents will lead to action, with fewer than half (41%) of staff who made a report saying their trust took ‘meaningful action’.

Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “No one should go to work fearing or, worse, expecting, to be attacked, intimidated or abused. Nor should they lack confidence that their employers have their backs, or that the judicial system will kick in.

“Yet, that’s the reality faced by the majority of my colleagues in EDs across the country. They often do not feel safe to care for patients. It is an appalling state of affairs which is contributing towards many people seriously considering whether Emergency Medicine – or even healthcare in general – is for them.

“Tackling violence and aggression is crucial for the wellbeing of staff, whose dedication to the NHS is all too frequently being repaid in kicks, punches and abhorrent verbal abuse.

“We know that long waits and crowding are key drivers of this, but that is not the fault of staff – that’s on our governments. Every hour of every day, our Emergency Medicine teams are there for patients. It’s time staff received the respect and safety they deserve.

“This should not be a novel concept to anybody. Much has been said by us and other organisations over the years about violence and aggression towards healthcare staff. But the problem seems to be getting worse, not better.

“It’s time for action, time for governments, employers and organisations stand up for NHS staff, and time to ensure that those who intimidate, abuse or assault those who are trying to care for them face meaningful consequences for their actions.”

Violence and aggression is not always an isolated problem. Many survey respondents pointed out that long waiting times (90%), overcrowding (85%), staff shortages and corridor care (both 65%) was making the problem worse.

Tackling these issues will undoubtedly create a calmer environment in A&E, which provokes fewer incidents.

In a new briefing, RCEM is calling on government in the four nations, and NHS leaders, to make Emergency Departments safe to care by:

  • Preventing violence and abuse before it occurs – starting with the eradication of long waits to be seen, crowding and corridor care, whilst strengthening security standards
  • Supporting staff through better training, reporting, follow-up, and links with the police
  • Improving accountability of organisations to protect and support NHS staff, with better working across systems to ensure perpetrators face justice

Dr Catherine Hayhurst, co-chair of the RCEM Quality in Emergency Care Committee, said: “Safe to Care has a very clear goal: make EDs a place in which you can work without fear of intimidation or attack.

“Some of the stories that our members have told the campaign so far have been heartbreaking – but not surprising.

“Whilst most patients and relatives continue to be a pleasure to treat, it is true that we are seeing increasing levels of unacceptable behaviour from a significant minority.

“Anyone who works in ED knows that violence and aggression towards healthcare staff has become normalised. That must end and we call on policymakers and NHS leaders to help us make EDs a safer place for staff.”

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