New NICE guidance published for psoriatic arthritis

Care for people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis should improve due to new guidance from The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Psoriasis affects about 2% of people in the UK and one in seven tends to develop arthritic symptoms, usually in adulthood, and if this is left untreated it gets worse over time.

The new standards from NICE should ensure that people with psoriasis receive appropriate care and support. Those who then develop psoriatic arthritis should be diagnosed as soon as possible and treated accordingly.

“While there are a range of effective treatments available, not everyone has the same access to them,” says Prof Gillian Leng, NICE director of health and social care. “Our new quality standard, which is primarily aimed at GPs but also relevant to hospital specialists, aims to encourage the highest standards of care.”

The standards outline that people with psoriasis should be offered a yearly appointment to check for signs of psoriatic arthritis and every five years to assess cardiovascular health.