Motion

Motion TitleImproving Access to Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Care

Motion TextThat this Assembly notes that patients in urgent need of arthritis related care, including orthopaedics and rheumatology, continue to face some of the longest waiting lists within our Health and Social Care service; further notes that some rheumatology patients are waiting nearly eight years for a first consultant-led appointment, and that those requiring surgery may wait three years for a first appointment and six years for treatment; recognises that these delays disproportionately affect people living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, which impact nearly one in three people and lead to long term pain, disability and early retirement; acknowledges the significant economic cost of osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis and back pain through increased healthcare pressures and sick leave; highlights Arthritis UK’s February 2026 report From Breaking Point to Recovery: Prioritising Musculoskeletal Healthcare in Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Health to implement its recommendations to reduce waiting list pressures, strengthen economic participation, and improve the experiences of people living with arthritis and musculoskeletal pain.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Date Tabled to Business Office09/09/2026