In the leadup to World Arthritis Day, 11 key health and allied peak bodies have aligned in a broad-based push to reduce critical delays in diagnosing the painful childhood illness Juvenile Arthritis, signing a consensus statement to be released at a National Stakeholder Forum in Parliament House, Canberra today (9 October).
The Consensus statement supports the goal of the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation of Australia (JAFA) and the Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Group (APRG) to reduce the current dangerous delays in the diagnosis of Juvenile Arthritis from 10 months to 10 weeks by 2030. Juvenile Arthritis affects between 1 to 4 in every thousand Australian children, about 6,000 to 10,000 children, and if not diagnosed promptly can lead to lifelong pain and disability.
Signatories to the consensus statement include peak bodies – the Royal Australian College of GPs, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Medicines Australia, the Australian Primary Care Nurses, Optometry Australia, the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and others.
The National Stakeholder Forum, to be attended by specialist and frontline health professionals, consumer advocates, Members of Parliament, and Departmental officials, will refine and finalise action plans, tools, and strategies to support GPs and other community healthcare professionals to recognise and refer juvenile arthritis before children progress to irreversible joint and eye damage and lifelong pain and disability.
The Forum has been convened by JAFA and will see the launch of the first phase of its federally funded Health Professional Support – Early Diagnosis Program. The program will centre on a national communication and information campaign to alert GPs and other community health professionals using red flags and compelling messaging, linked to a comprehensive information hub with approved clinical guidance and professional information.
JAFA founder Prof Ruth Colagiuri said, “JAFA is proud to launch the first phase of this campaign which is set to save countless children who have undiagnosed juvenile arthritis now, or who will get it in the future, from a life of pain and being left behind educationally, socially and economically, and the accompanying mental health and financial impacts. We are very grateful to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler, and the Albanese Government for listening and taking firm action on this previously neglected disease.”
Dr Ben Whitehead, Chair of the APRG said, “Awareness of juvenile arthritis is so low it’s not uncommon for children to have joint deformities or vision loss by the time they are referred to a paediatric rheumatologist. Early diagnosis and prompt referral are critical to getting children with arthritis treated before any damage occurs. The APRG wholeheartedly supports JAFA’s campaign.”
Chair of the RACGP Committee on Child and Youth Health, Dr James Best said, “GPs will welcome the support this Program brings to help them to diagnose this serious but neglected condition earlier.”