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For health professionals

For healthcare professionals caring for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.

Rheumatology advice

New / existing patients

Submit your enquiry to the Advice and Guidance service on ERS:

Rheumatology-Advice & Guidance-Oxford University Hospitals-RTH / Specialty Rheumatology

Please submit your query for the following.

Flare management for persistent symptoms
Medication
Vaccination
Blood monitoring
General

Urgent queries

Contact the on-call team via Switchboard: 0300 304 7777

GCA - new referrals / flares
Urgent new referrals
New flare patients
Suspected new GCA, CTD, Vasculitis, EIA, complex patients
Other urgent queries

Inflammatory arthritis

Flare management - see treatment algorithm
Persistent symptoms despite standard flare management - contact advice line

General queries

Medication
Blood monitoring
Vaccination

Submit your enquiry to the Advice and Guidance service on e-RS:

Rheumatology-Advice & Guidance-Oxford University Hospitals-RTH / Specialty Rheumatology

Urgent queries

Contact the on-call team via Switchboard: 0300 304 7777

GCA - new referrals / flares
Urgent new referrals
Complex patients especially CTD / Vasculitis

Flare management (GPs)

Inflammatory arthritis flare management

Is this a flare? Consider:

symptoms / signs convincing for inflammatory arthritis
co-morbidities e.g. fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, mechanical pain
alternative diagnoses e.g. infection.

Suspected flare

Advise rest, application of ice / heat, increase analgesia +/- NSAIDs

No improvement

M or IA steroid
Escalate DMARD if possible
If no improvement contact advice line

Publications

Publications / Academic journals

Last reviewed:11 July 2024