Shout out to amazing rheumatology department

[Sencosheep]

So many posts are from people struggling to get the right or timely support.

My feet have hurt for last couple of weeks and now my toes cross over if I scrunch them up and my feet are a different shape. I have an appointment booked for 20/8 so wanted to see if it was ok to leave everything till then.

9:30 phoned advice line

11:00 practitioner phoned for a chat

11:10 rheumatology phoned back with an appointment for Thursday (1/8) as they don't want me to be in pain till 20th.

Christchurch Rheumatology you are amazing!

[Hidden]

Love it when it works 😊😊😃wish the resources were there for others

[helixhelix]

You can tell them! This is the NHS review site

nhs.uk/Services/hospitals/R...

[Sencosheep in reply to helixhelix]

Done - thank you!

[Ruth12345]

That is great. My brother lives there and we will be there this weekend. Lovely place.

[Hidden]

YAY feel I can hear a thundering of people heading that way with RA!

[jayne17]

Thats so reassuring to know you live in an area with a Helpline that does exactly that, help and reassure you when needed.

Here in Wolverhampton we USED to to have a Helpline but now it's pretty much non existent and I find that so isolating, because RA and all it entails can have many complicated issues and I do miss not having that connection where I can get help fairly quickly. NHS and the cuts they have made have an impact.

[Sencosheep]

And as a follow up - I was seen by a nurse practitioner (not the one who I normally see but she'd read all of my notes) who agreed that my feet needed some help! We agreed on a steroid injection, had a blood test and discussed whether injectable methotrexate would be more effective at managing the problems (As I have already had MTX tablets increased). In and out within 45 mins and a check up in 2 and a half weeks with the person I normally see to discuss a way forward to try and stop these (rather regular) flares. I was also told that even though I was going on holiday they were happy I phoned whilst I was away if I wanted more advice!

[Mmrr]

How it should be. Thanks for sharing.

[Joodee]

Christchurch Hospital has had an amazing rheumatology department for more than 30 years and hopefully for another 30 too, I have been a patient there for 32 years and I agree that the helpline has been a life saver when you need immediate help or advice. Their workload has increased so much yet they still give time when it is needed.