Arthritis SA sought support from major parties ahead of the upcoming State Election for its key recommendations to improve the lives of the one in four South Australians with arthritis.
Arthritis SA’s Election Platform 2022 calls for:
- Improved care and treatment for young South Australians with arthritis;
- Funding for a SA trial of an innovative NSW program to help people with osteoarthritis relieve their pain and avoid needing major surgery;
- More specialists for a dwindling workforce;
- and Support for Arthritis SA’s information telephone line.
Arthritis SA Chief Executive Associate Professor Steve Morris said the priorities would require modest funding of just over $9 million over four years and would have meaningful outcomes for the more than 40,000 South Australians impacted by arthritis.
“Arthritis is a debilitating chronic condition that affects anyone from children to seniors, and is the leading cause of early retirement,” he said.
“We know that the number of people with arthritis in SA will grow by 24% and the cost of healthcare for people with arthritis will rise by about $100 million between 2015 and 2030.
“If we can introduce these four measures they will go some way towards reducing those costs – but also importantly they will improve lives.”
In mid January Arthritis SA sent its Election Platform to the State Government and Opposition seeking their responses, which have now been received.
The Arthritis SA Election Platform and both responses can be found below.
Media enquiries: Arthritis SA contact: (08) 8379 5711
Watch a message from CEO Steve Morris
View the pre-election submission
