Launch of the Parliamentarians for Arthritis Group, West Foyer, Parliament Buildings
Delivered on her behalf by Rahui Katene, MP for Te Tai Tonga

You might know a song by Scottish popstar Annie Lennox which made number one on the Canadian charts. An alternative title for that song might have been 'Hell hath no more fury than a woman scorned’ as it spoke of the pain and anguish of a jilted lover.

But in actual fact, I think it was a song we might adopt as our theme song at this inaugural launch of the Parliamentarians for Arthritis Group.

The song was called ‘Walking on Broken Glass’.

Having experienced the pain of psoriatic arthritis for the last twelve years I have some understanding of what many describe as living with broken glass in your joints.

As Associate Minister of Health, with particular responsibility for Maori Health, I am acutely aware that hospitalisation rates for arthritis (including gout, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis) are higher for Māori than non-Māori.

I am obviously pleased, therefore, that all the MPs from the Maori Party have indicated an interest in the Parliamentary Friends group out of their concern for the prevalence of this condition amongst whanau Maori.

In 2010, we know that approximately 15 percent of the population; some 530,000 New Zealanders, are walking on broken glass; living with at least one type of arthritis.

Tonight then, is a really important initiative in setting up a forum to raise awareness and understanding of arthritis amongst all Members of Parliament. I want to commend Michael Woodhouse for your initiative in establishing a network right across Parliament.

I understand that the liaison that has already been created with Arthritis New Zealand will be strengthened with links to other organisations such as the New Zealand Orthopaedics Association; Osteoporosis New Zealand; the New Zealand Rheumatology Association and the Bone and Joint Decade.

The commitment to communication with these key stakeholders will be a vital platform for this group to be well informed about the developments relevant to the impact of musculoskeletal disease.

But equally, we must always remember our most important role as Members of Parliament, to be champions for our people.

I hope that this Forum is the place in which we can share the ideas and experiences our constituents share with us regarding methods of diagnosis, treatment and even prevention.

This Group will no doubt be inundated with information and inspiration from families living with arthritis about everything from stem-cell therapy to green-lipped mussels. I hope that we can welcome every new piece of information as another step in the challenge before us to enhance wellbeing for all New Zealanders.

Tonight we take that journey forward through the launching of the report, ‘The economic cost of arthritis in New Zealand in 2010’.

I am delighted to launch this very important report by Arthritis New Zealand. The report provides us with solid data to demonstrate the extent of the prevalence of this disease.

One of the most distressing statistics is around the burden of disease. The report estimates that in 2010 the years of healthy life lost because of arthritis equate to 21,491 Disability Adjusted Life Years.

The costs are spelt out in many forms.

The financial costs of arthritis in New Zealand are estimated to be a massive $3.2 billion, with $695million of this specific to health sector costs.

Health sector costs cover hospital services, specialist services, general practice, pharmaceuticals, allied health and aged care, research and a broad range of health administration and resources.

But the indirect costs of arthritis, according to this report, outweigh health costs by around 3.6 to 1.

What this means in practical terms is that over 25,000 New Zealanders will not work in 2010 due to arthritis.

It also reflects the absolutely fundamental support provided by what we might call informal care – which tends to be the care and assistance provided by those closest and dearest to us.

The report’s writers, Access Economics, recommend that on the basis of the costs identified in their report alone, that this should warrant interventions targeted at reducing obesity, continued investment in research and development to delay the onset of osteoarthritis and self-management education.

I want to really thank Arthritis New Zealand, which is a not-for-profit organisation, for the investment they have made to our national accounts; through investing in this research.

Tonight’s event – and the ongoing growth of this forum – is a statement of faith from politicians across the House, that we want to invest in a better quality of life for people affected by arthritis.

There is much to do and that we should do, including:

- Considering how to improve the quality of care with increased follow up and access to investigations;

- better information/education about managing the disease;

- investigations into the cultural appropriateness of arthritis treatments and access to intervention research;

- analysis of the extent of its prevalence and socioeconomic impacts;

And importantly, we must all do what we can, to be listening to the stories and concerns of those who walk daily on broken glass; the families of New Zealanders affected by arthritis.

ENDS

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