Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he is taking to support children with arthritis.

In the United Kingdom, about 15,000 children and young people are affected by arthritis, with approximately 1,000 children diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) per year. JIA may continue into adulthood, and about a third or more of children with the condition still need treatment in adult life.

Support for patients with long term health problems should include provision of a holistic assessment and the development of a personalised care plan, taking into account their needs and preference for care. Treatment for JIA can include anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as Methotrexate to suppress the immune response creating the inflammation. For patients who do not respond to DMARDs, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has approved several biological therapies (anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs), which work in a similar way to DMARDs, but are more targeted in addressing the immune response.

As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, published on 7 January 2019, NHS England is taking action in a range of areas to improve the care and support for children and young people. From 2019/20 clinical networks will be rolled out to improve the quality of care for children with long-term conditions. This will be achieved though sharing best clinical practice, supporting the integration of paediatric skills across services and bespoke quality improvement projects.