Rheumatology (GP information)

Procedures undertaken in our Unit include the following:

• Ultrasound of joints for disease diagnosis confirmation
• Joint and soft tissue injections (in clinic for adults, in theatres under anaesthesia for children – Dr Fishman).

There are consultant lead clinics every day of the week, supported by Nurse clinics and two Specialist Registrars in Rheumatology and general medicine.

All nine consultants undertake general rheumatology clinics (for adults) and there is a dedicated Rheumatology outpatient area, with 9 consulting rooms, each with an ultrasound machine, where joint and soft tissue injections can be administered during the clinic.

In addition, the following sub-specialist services are undertaken:

Metabolic bone diseases clinic – aim to see adult metabolic bone disorders including osteoporosis
Alternate Tuesday morning Dr Nisar (Dr Balaji also has an interest in Osteoporosis and between the two of them they report on all the bone density scans done in the Trust).

Giant Cell Arteritis/PMR – Temporal Arteritis  Service

Dr Quick and Dr Alkoky share the GCA/Temporal Arteritis Service, undertaking ultrasound scans for diagnosis. Dr Alkoky works between Luton and Bedford Hospitals

Psoriatic Arthritis
Dr Tanya Baqai has a specialist interest in this and related conditions and sees patients in her general clinic, by arrangement with her – direct referrals are welcome.

Acute/Early Arthritis
All consultants work in the Early Inflammatory Arthritis clinics, run weekly, to provide rapid diagnosis and early aggressive management of acute inflammatory arthritis.
Referrals via Choose and Book, Early Arthritis

Paediatric Rheumatology
Dr Fishman runs weekly paediatric rheumatology clinics and will be doing an extra bi-monthly clinic with visiting consultants from Addenbrookes from November 2024.

Ambulatory Care
Dr Marian Chan also works in Ambulatory Care as an acute general physician, seeing all types of acute medical problems, but acts as the interface for acute rheumatology between A&E, EAU and Rheumatology. She also has an interest in PMR/GCA, Early Arthritis and bone disease.

Links to tertiary centres:
Rare bone diseases network Cambridge; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, University College London Dept. of Rheumatology.