Rheumatology

• The line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Please reorder prescriptions at least 3 weeks in advance
• Please remember to speak slowly and clearly
• The message will ask you to leave these details:
  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • 1st line of your address
  • Contact telephone number
  • Name and dose of drug needed
• If your blood tests are in date, we will post the prescription to your home address.
• We can't reply to messages. This option is only for repeat prescriptions.

• Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm
• Please call if you ordered your prescription 3 weeks ago and you haven't received it
• You can call if you have any problems with your prescription
• You will speak to one of our admin staff. They are not medically trained. They can't answer specific questions about your condition or medication.

• Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
• Please call if you have an appointment that you can't attend
• Please call if you need to rearrange an appointment
• We will connect you to our contact centre. You then need to select option 1 for the appointments line.
• If possible, please have your NHS number or hospital T-number. These are on any appointment letters you have.
• If you do not have an appointment, do not choose this option. You need to choose option 4 for nurse advice.

Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9am to 11.30am.

This is a live service staffed by our rheumatology nurse specialists. You may have to join a queue.If you are in the queue, you will stay on until 12pm. If your call is not answered by this time, you will need to call back. Please have your NHS number of hospital T-number to hand. These are on any appointment letters you have. This will help us give you a quick response.

Before calling, please check the FAQs and other advice on this webpage. These may answer your queries.

Examples of when to call:

• A flare-up not improving after 7 days  despite self-help measures
• If you need an appointment. You will need to tell us if you:
• Have an infection
• Are are taking antibiotics
• Have just finished antibiotics
• Are due to have any scans or surgery
• Have had a vaccination in the last 2 weeks
• Queries or side effects for your rheumatology medication. Your local pharmacist may also be able to help.
• Concerns relating to your condition that cannot wait for your next appointment
• If we have called you and have asked you to call back. This is important if we have asked you to stop your medication due to blood results.

If you have a full body rash, swelling around the eyes, lips or tongue, or breathing problems, go to your local A&E department.

When not to call:

• Changing an appointment. Redial and choose option 3.
• Prescription queries. Redial and choose option 2.
• To talk about anything not related to your rheumatological condition.

We do not routinely give test results over the phone. We only do this in cases where we have asked you to call us about your results. Otherwise, a clinician will call you about results if they need to talk to you before your next appointment.

North Tyneside General Hospital

Wansbeck General Hospital

Hexham General Hospital

Alnwick Infirmary

Berwick Infirmary

Rheumatology specialist nurses

Nurses: Joann Evans - lead nurse, Marie Kanu McGuckin, Sarah Coulson, Karen Black, Toni Coull, Hilary Wrightson, Trudy Parkin, Donna Gray, Sarah-Jane Gladstone, Ashton Fearon.

Helpline number: 0191 293 4159

Other team contact details

Occupational therapy

01670 529449

For self-referral to rheumatology physiotherapy

Wansbeck and Blyth - 01670 564010

North Tyneside - 0191 293 4064

Hexham - 01434 655031

Alnwick - 01665 626787

Berwick - 01289 356643

Pharmacy

Lewis Sutherland (pharmacist) and Malcolm Walpole (pharmacy technician) - 0191 293 4150 or 0191 293 2585

Podiatry

01670 396461

Referral to Rheumatology is via your GP or physiotherapy team. If you are diagnosed with an inflammatory condition by Rheumatology you will be given our advice line telephone numbers.

• North Tyneside General Hospital
• Wansbeck General Hospital
• Hexham General hospital
• Berwick Infirmary
• Alnwick Infirmary
• Morpeth NHS Centre
• Blyth community hospital

Rheumatology covers multiple conditions affecting the immune system, bones, joints and muscles as well as soft tissues (connective tissues).

Examples include Rheumatoid and Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Osteoporosis, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (in patients over the age of 16 years), Polymyalgia rheumatica, Connective tissue diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) Sjogren’s and Systemic sclerosis and vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation) such as giant cell arteritis. This list is not exhaustive.

To make a diagnosis we will talk to you about your symptoms, examine you, and often arrange tests which may include blood tests, X rays, ultrasound, CT or MRI scans.

Once we have reached a diagnosis we will support you in deciding which treatment(s) are likely to help manage your condition. These treatments might include medications, such as painkillers, anti-inflammatories, steroids or treatments to control your condition which are known as DMARDs or disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Sometimes we may give treatments by injection or infusion and the team will explain the reasons for this if needed. Non-drug therapies, support and education are provided by our multidisciplinary team depending on your needs.

We like to see you as early as possible because we know that early treatment can lead to better patient outcomes in the longer term. 

Sometimes we need to involve other specialists or services to support you in managing your condition, for example the ‘living well with pain’ team, orthopedic surgeons or other medical specialists.

We aim to enable you in living as normal a life as possible with your rheumatological condition and to support you in making decisions about your healthcare and treatments at every step.

Appointments may be either face-to-face in an outpatient department or by telephone or video call, your appointment letter will advise you on the type of appointment.

Versus Arthritis - www.versusarthritis.org

National rheumatoid arthritis society - nras.org.uk

The Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis alliance - www.papaa.org

National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society - nass.co.uk

The British Sjogren’s Syndrome Association - www.bssa.uk.net

Lupus UK - www.lupusuk.org.uk

Living Well with Pain - livewellwithpain.co.uk

Juvenile Arthritis - www.arthritis.org/diseases/juvenile-arthritis

Vasculitis Society - www.vasculitis.org.uk

Stop Smoking Help - www.northumbria.nhs.uk/stopsmoking

Also:

Royal Osteoporosis Society – https://theros.org.uk

Arthur’s place - https://arthursplace.co.uk/

Further information about Occupational and Social Care:

Adult Social Care | North Tyneside Council

www.northumberland.gov.uk  – click on Health and social care