For Brad Boult, living with arthritis is not just a personal health challenge; it’s a clear example of where New Zealand’s health system needs to improve.
At 60, Brad is a business owner, a husband, a father of two, and Team Manager for the North Harbour NPC Rugby Team. Sixteen years ago, he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease causing pain, stiffness, fatigue, and inflammation.
But Brad’s story is not just about resilience. It is about what happens when people are forced to manage a serious lifelong condition without the level of support they need, and why that needs to change.
A system that expects people to self-manage
Brad has had to become an expert in managing his own condition, often out of necessity, not choice. Fatigue is his biggest daily barrier.
“My energy is best in the morning, so I plan everything important early,” he explains. “You learn quickly you can’t push through like you used to.”
He carefully monitors triggers like stress, sleep, diet, and alcohol. He has developed a personal “reset routine”, stepping back, resting, and regaining control before symptoms spiral.
But Brad is clear: this level of self-management shouldn’t be the default expectation.
“People with long-term conditions shouldn’t have to figure it all out on their own. You learn how to keep going, but the system should make that easier, not harder.”
Arthritis is more than pain — but policy hasn’t caught up
Brad says one of the biggest problems is how arthritis is perceived.
“Arthritis isn’t just about sore joints. It affects your energy, your work, your relationships, your mental health, your whole life.”
Despite this, support systems often focus narrowly on physical symptoms, ignoring the broader reality of living with a chronic illness.
Flare-ups disrupt routines, reduce productivity, and directly impact income and family life. Yet services addressing fatigue, stress, and mental wellbeing remain limited or difficult to access.
Brad believes this gap reflects a broader policy issue: long-term conditions like arthritis are not being treated as the complex, whole-of-life challenges they are.
The hidden cost to families
Another critical gap, Brad says, is support for families.
“Families carry a lot of this,” he explains. “They see the bad days, the frustration, the fatigue, and there’s almost no support for them.”
Partners, children, and caregivers often absorb the emotional strain and help manage day-to-day impacts, yet are rarely included in care planning or offered resources.
This has real consequences, increasing stress in households already dealing with a chronic condition.
Staying in work and sport, but at what cost?
Brad continues to run his business and play an active role in professional rugby. His work and sport gives him purpose, structure, and connection.
But maintaining that involvement takes careful balancing.
He is currently Team Manager for the North Harbour NPC Rugby Team, a role that involves long days, organisation, physical demands and constant problem‑solving.
“But being involved at a professional sport level gives me purpose and connection. It keeps me engaged with something I love.”
While arthritis means he has to pace himself, Brad continues to contribute meaningfully. Giving back to his community through sport has been just as important for his mental wellbeing as it has been for staying physically active.
He also gives back to support other men living with psoriatic arthritis as an Arthritis NZ peer supporter.
A clear message for government
If Brad could sit down with decision-makers, his message would be direct:
“Recognise arthritis as a serious, lifelong condition that affects quality of life.”
He is calling for practical, system-level changes:
1. Improve access to medications and reduce delays in treatment pathways
Delays in accessing effective treatments can lead to worsening symptoms, long-term damage, and higher system costs over time.
2. Increase mental health support for people with chronic conditions
Living with chronic illness takes a psychological toll. Services must recognise this and provide timely, accessible support.
3. Support for families and caregivers
Resources, education, and support services for families supporting someone with arthritis.
4. Ensure long‑term conditions are prioritised in health planning and funding
Arthritis and other long-term conditions require sustained investment, not short-term or reactive approaches.
