Shiela Wilson who works as a volunteer for the patient organisation PSALV, was amongst fifty guests invited to the Parliament for the launch of a report following a survey of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) services across Scotland.

The event host, MSP Helen Eadie told the visitors: "RA and associated conditions are painful and can rob people of their independence."

"I cannot praise enough the work of the healthcare professionals who help patients with these debilitating conditions. But it is important that they are valued and have the resources they need to give the best they can for patients."

"With this in mind I have asked the Scottish Government to answer questions on spending on these conditions and, specifically, on the budgets for the most modern medicines."

The survey of doctors, nurses and managers in inflammatory diseases teams found not one clinician amongst them believed their service is being treated as a priority by their health board, despite the condition affecting some 52,000 Scots.

More than half of respondents said staffing levels within their team were "less than adequate" or "insufficient while over 40 per cent said there were budgetary restrictions on funding the most advanced treatments.

In all 48 specialist doctors, nurses and managers took part in the on-line poll run commissioned by the ABPI Scottish Inflammatory Diseases and Rheumatology Industry Group (SIDRG) – a consortium of medicines companies specialising in supporting RA specialist clinicians.