Written question asked by Ellie Chowns (Green Party) on Monday, 1 December 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 3 December 2025. It was answered by Ashley Dalton (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 December 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Arthritis: Children and Young People

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to improve time to diagnosis for children and young people with suspected Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Answer

Services for children with suspected juvenile idiopathic arthritis are commissioned in line with the national service specification for paediatric rheumatology services.

The national service specification helps to reduce waiting times for diagnosis by mandating clear referral pathways and rapid access to specialist paediatric rheumatology teams. It sets national standards requiring timely triage of suspected cases, prioritisation of urgent referrals, and availability of multidisciplinary expertise for early assessment. The specification ensures consistency across regions, minimises delays caused by local variation, and supports faster initiation of diagnostic tests and treatment planning.

Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitments to expand community diagnostic centres for quicker access to tests, introduce digital tools to support early symptom monitoring and triage, and improve the integration between primary care and specialist services will further streamline referral pathways and ensure children receive timely assessment and treatment.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 95842
Session: 2024-26
Subjects: Children Diagnosis Standards Arthritis Young people
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

Arthritis: Children and Young People

Secondary information

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