Young people suffering with arthritis are having to travel out of Wales for specialist care.

It’s estimated that more than 140 young arthritis sufferers live in north Wales, with their nearest specialist centre at Alder Hey hospital, according to Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s AM for North Wales.

The AM, who is Plaid Cymru Shadow Secretary for Children and Young People, joined charities campaigning for young people with arthritis in the Assembly to highlight the need for improved services in north Wales.

Mr Gruffydd said: “There is a common misconception that arthritis only affects older people but Arthritis Care Wales, the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) and the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) are here in Cardiff Bay to highlight the plight of young people needing rheumatology services under the slogan ‘Too young for arthritis’.

“There is no specialist paediatric rheumatology centre or full dedicated multidisciplinary paediatric rheumatology services in Wales – the only home nation without such a centre. I support the charities, who believe children with arthritis in Wales deserve better. I would very much like to see greater specialist services being made available in partnership with Alder Hey in hospitals across the North.”

—

Picture caption: From left, Jack Fienmann, Parliamentary Affairs Officer at the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR), Llyr Gruffydd AM and Dr Jeremy Camilleri, Consultant Rheumatologist at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.