For patients

Patient education videos

We have developed a series of video guides for patients diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis; for example Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and other forms including undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis.

In these videos we talk about conditions and treatments, and the roles of the different healthcare professionals involved.

These videos are for patients, relatives, carers and anyone interested in knowing more about inflammatory arthritis. We encourage you to watch the videos with someone you are close to.

Individual videos

A Hitchhiker's Guide to Inflammatory Arthritis

Rheumatology Specialist Nurses and self management

Physiotherapy for Inflammatory Arthritis

Treatments for inflammatory arthritis

Occupational Therapy for Inflammatory Arthritis

Feedback form

Early Inflammatory Arthritis videos feedback form

April 2023 - COVID-19 update

Vaccination for patients with a rheumatic disease

COVID-19 vaccination - NHS website

COVID-19 guidance - British Society for Rheumatology

FAQs on New Antiviral Treatment - National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society

We strongly recommend that all patients with a rheumatic disease should be eligible to receive and should respond to the vaccine.

We strongly advise you to take whichever vaccine is available to you in your area as soon as you are offered one.

Whilst some immunosuppressed patients may have a lower immunological response to the vaccine, it is still worth getting the vaccine to protect your health.

The only reason not to have the vaccine is if you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic reaction) to any components in the vaccine in the past.

If you are in doubt, or have a specific query around your current rheumatology medication and COVID-19 vaccination, please contact us.

Email: ouh-tr.rheumatologynurses@nhs.net

Rituximab

For any patients receiving rituximab, where clinically possible, the first dose of your COVID-19 vaccination should be given four weeks or more before rituximab.

In practice, for some patients, this might mean delaying your rituximab infusion for up to four months, and using other means to control your rheumatic disease.

If you have already received a rituximab infusion, we are recommending that you delay receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for at least three months after your most recent rituximab infusion.

The vaccination would not be more risky to take, but might not work as well as it could in protecting you against the virus.

This is because the rituximab treatment might reduce your body's ability to respond to the vaccine. In such cases, please ask us for advice and we can look more specifically at your situation and help you.

Steroid injections

Frequently Asked Questions about Steroid Injections during the COVID-19 pandemic (pdf, 669 KB)

Clinical queries

If you are having problems or have clinical queries, please email us.

Email: ouh-tr.rheumatologynurses@nhs.net

Include your full name, either your MRN or NHS number and date of birth in the email, or we will be unable to respond.

If you do not have access to email, please call us.

Tel: 01865 737871