People living in England and Wales will be denied access to an arthritis drug that will be available on the NHS to sufferers in Scotland.

Anti-rheumatism remedy Tocilizumab has been rejected for use in England and Wales by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), but the Scottish Medicines Consortium has recommended that it be made available.

The decision made by Nice was criticised by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, whose chief executive Ailsa Bosworth called the move a "bitter blow for patients" who have not responded to other drugs.

She accused the body of not appreciating the "burden" placed on patients by the condition, concluding: "We are at a complete loss to understand Nice's decision here."

Those troubled by arthritis may find that ultrasound treatment helps ease the condition.

Earlier this month, former sufferer Sarah Gall from Rochdale claimed her rheumatism had been cured by drinking cider vinegar regularly.

However, Dr Binoj Nair of Manchester's samedaydoctor clinic said this would only work for some people.