Arthritis group makes joke of patient waiting times

"Heard the one about the available rheumatologist? Neither have we."

A new advertising campaign from Arthritis New Zealand is taking a novel approach to highlighting the problems it says people face in getting to see a rheumatologist.

"Why are rheumatologists like Santa Claus? It takes a year to see one," goes the message on a billboard that is part of the campaign.

Arthritis New Zealand says the humorous approach conceals a problem that means rheumatologists are being forced overseas to find work despite long waits for patients to see a practitioner.

"We want to make health officials sit up, take notice and realise we want progress for people with arthritis," said the group's chief executive, Alasdair Finnie.

The group says there are 17 fulltime equivalent practising rheumatologists in New Zealand but a further 20 are needed to meet the minimum ratio of one per 100,000 people recommended by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation.

It says people are having to wait up to a year for appointments and that can cause irreversible joint damage.

Andrew Harrison, secretary of the New Zealand Rheumatology Association, said the problem was that there weren't enough jobs for rheumatologists.

He said the present shortage was not the result of a lack of trainees.

"We have New Zealand-trained rheumatologists waiting for appointments to come up.

"When they don't they are forced to go overseas to work."

- NZPA