Community Rheumatology Services
Community Rheumatology Services

Service Information
Clinical lead: Dr Ben Empson
Our Rheumatology service is led by a GP with Extended Role in Rheumatology, supported by a multidisciplinary team of physiotherapists, GPs with extended roles, rheumatology nurse specialists and academic rheumatology consultants. We have X-ray and community ultrasound facilities and support research nurses.
Our community rheumatology service has three main aims:
1.Diagnosis and treatment of early inflammatory arthritis and other common rheumatology related conditions;
2. Education and intensive treatment of inflammatory arthritis flexed and delivered locally in the community;
3. To support and promote primary care rheumatology research.
Treatments offered where appropriate:
– Drug treatments
– Blood tests for monitoring of drug therapy
– Joint assessment and physical examination
– Joint injections as indicated
– Access to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry and psychological support
– Access to local and national support, advice and guidance on benefits
– Access to psychologist and physiotherapist led to pain management.
– Drug treatments
– Blood tests for monitoring of drug therapy
– Joint assessment and physical examination
– Joint injections as indicated
– Access to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry and psychological support
– Access to local and national support, advice and guidance on benefits
– Access to psychologist and physiotherapist led to pain management.
Inclusion Criteria
- Musculoskeletal problems:
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Overuse injuries/tenosynovitis or requiring local injections
- Shoulders
- Knees
- Plantar Fasciitis elbows
- Wrists and carpal tunnel syndrome
- Suspected Connective Tissue Disorders:
- SLE
- PM/DM
- Systemic sclerosis
- Inflammatory arthropathies
- RA/Sjogren
- Reactive arthritis
- Ser-negative arthritides
- Crystal arthropathies
- Goutpseudogout
- PMR
Exclusion Criteria
- Patients under the age of 16
- Septic arthritis
- Multisystem vasculitides
Diagnostics Provided
- Not applicable
Referral method
- Referrals should be made using the standard referral template, emailed to modality.rheumatology@nhs.net
- The community services admin team can be contacted on 0121 250 1592 with any admin queries.