Welcome to the Rheumatology Department. We strive to deliver the highest quality care to patients with joint problems and related musculoskeletal conditions.

What we do

Rheumatology is part of an integrated model for managing musculoskeletal,  orthopaedic, rheumatology and pain services. 

We provide expert care, support and advice to patients, carer’s and healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care settings, and other outside agencies.

The rheumatology multidisciplinary team includes rheumatology consultants, specialist nurses and dedicated rheumatology physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists and psychologists.

There are a wide range of rheumatological conditions, from simple soft tissue disorders such as tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon) through to complex diseases affecting more than one bodily system. These diseases may cause various symptoms which are not necessarily confined to the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, although arthritis may be the condition most closely associated with this specialty, joint inflammation is only one of many clinical features. There are over 200 types of rheumatic disease and over nine million people in the UK have some form of arthritis.
 
Conditions which may be seen by a rheumatologist include:
 
Rheumatoid arthritis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Psoriatic arthritis
Connective tissue disorders eg. Lupus
Osteoarthritis (for confirmation and discharge to primary care) 

You can be referred to this service by your GP via our single point of access. Our clinicians will assess the referral and organise you an appropriate appointment. 

Rheumatology Clerk - Royal Blackburn Hospital - 01254 734569

Appointment booking centre - 01282 803761

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Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm (excluding weekends and Bank Holidays)

Dr R Ariyaratnam

Dr John Brockbank

Dr Laura Newton

Professor Lee-Suan Teh

Dr Amjid Rashid – Rheumatology Consultant

Dr Amjid M Rashid is a consultant rheumatologist and physician.  He was educated in Scotland and did his undergraduate medical degree at The University of St Andrews and The University of Manchester.  Further to this he completed his advanced rheumatology and general internal medicine training in the North West of England. 

Dr Rashid also has a Masters Degree with Distinction from The University of Manchester in Clinical Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Medicine.

Dr Rashid diagnoses and manages all rheumatological conditions. He has a particular interest in musculoskeletal ultrasound and early inflammatory arthritis. Dr Rashid also has a strong interest in medical education and service development. 

Tania Maloney - Lead Rheumatology Specialist Nurse

Tania is a Lead Rheumatology Specialist Nurse with a BA (Hons) in Nursing. She graduated in 1998 from Liverpool John Moores University and has 12 years experience of working on acute medical wards. Tania has experience of managing patients with respiratory, diabetes, stroke, gastroenterology and cardiac conditions, evolving from being a junior team member to a junior sister.

Working in Rheumatology since 2010, Tania is a non-medical Independent Nurse Prescriber and specialises in the management of patients on ‘Biologic’ medication. She is also qualified to perform joint injections.

Stephanie Ainsworth - Rheumatology Specialist Nurse

Stephanie is a Rheumatologist who qualified at the University of Cumbria in 2013 and has worked with the Trust since qualification. She has experience in acute medicine before moving into the speciality of rheumatology. Stephanie runs early arthritis clinics and general review clinics.  She is a Non-medical Independent Nurse Prescriber.

Helen Ritchie - Rheumatology Specialist Nurse

Helen is a Rheumatology Specialist Nurse who qualified in 1986 at Burnley General Teaching Hospital and has worked within the Trust since 1998. She has experience as a community nurse, fracture liaison specialist nurse and as a ward and department manager in rehabilitation and falls prevention. 

Joining the Rheumatology Nursing Team in 2016, Helen sees patients in early arthritis and biologic clinics.

Helen has previous experience of working within the Patient Experience Team, and so is utilising that knowledge and experience to look at ways of gaining patient feedback within the Rheumatology Team to enable continuous quality improvement.

Outside interests: reading and gardening.

Lynne Smith - Rheumatology Nurse (Blood Monitoring Clinic)

Lynne trained at Burnley General Hospital and has worked in the Outpatients Department for 32 years.  She is a Rheumatology Specialist Nurse and performs blood monitoring and management of patient care and works two and a half days a week in Rheumatology.

Outside interests: reading and quizzes.

Rosie Rey-Hollings - Rheumatology Specialist Nurse

Rosie is a Rheumatology Specialist Nurse who qualified from the University of Central Lancashire in 2012 and has worked for the Trust since qualifying. 

She has experience in managing patients with Cardiac, Respiratory, Oncology & Haematology conditions.

Rosie runs an Early arthritis, general review and Biologic clinic. She is a non medical independent nurse prescriber.

Jane Lim - Rheumatology Specialist Nurse

Jane is our Rheumatology Specialist Nurse. She qualified as a Registered Nurse in 2017, after a career in Public Art, Sales, Marketing and Quality Systems Management for the telecommunications industry and bringing up a family.  She worked in an Acute Medical Ward, followed by a three-year stint in a busy Cardiology ward, before joining East Lancashire Hospitals Trust as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Rheumatology in March 2020. 

Jane became a Non-Medical Prescriber in 2022 and is based at Royal Blackburn Hospital, with a clinic at Rossendale once a week. She has a Masters Degree in Public Art and a Masters Degree in Adult Nursing.  She enjoys being part of the Rheumatology team as there is always something new and interesting to learn.

Lucy Turner - Rheumatology Administrator and Clerical Co-Ordinator

Lucy is a Rheumatology Administrator and Clerical Co-Ordinator and manages our Rheumatology Clerks across Royal Blackburn & Burnley General Hospitals. Lucy has worked for several departments within the Trust in both Primary and Secondary care and his built up a lot of knowledge over the years.

Lucy has previously studied Health & Social Care and achieved a L3 NVQ in Business Administration. Lucy has also worked towards her AMSPAR Medical Terminology Diploma.

Nicola Elliott - Rheumatology Clerical Administrator

Nicola is a Rheumatology Clerical Administrator who has worked for the Trust since 2004. She is based with the Rheumatology Nurses at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, although she supports the wider Rheumatology team across the Trust.

Nicola has previously studied Health and Social Care, and more recently completed an NVQ in Business Administration. Alongside her role at the Trust, she has also worked in the private sector to support adults with learning disabilities, mental health, autism, and sensory needs.

Bev Tibbs - Senior Rheumatology Clerical Administrator​​​​​​​

Bev joined the team in 2022 as a Senior Rheumatology clerical administrator based with the Rheumatology nurses at Burnley General Hospital and supports the wider team. 

Bev previously qualified as an assistant practitioner and has background knowledge and experience in palliative care and worked for the trust in both the TB team and integrated therapy team.

Physiotherapy

David Booth

David works within the service as an advanced clinical practitioner physiotherapist.

David qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1998 in Manchester and he undertook his master's degree in musculoskeletal medicine in 2001 in Perth Australia.

David has worked in an advanced clinical practitioner role since 2003 in the areas of orthopaedics, rheumatology and neurosurgery. David has been qualified in injection therapy since 2010 and nonmedical prescriber since 2016.

The advanced practitioner role involves joint and soft tissue injections, referral and interpretation of medical imaging such as x-rays and MRI scans as well as blood tests.

 

Occupational Therapy

Susan Ellis

Susan qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2001 from St Martins College, Lancaster (now University of Cumbria).  She gained a Bsc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy.

On qualifying, she started working at the Trust on a rotational post within Occupational Therapy. During her rotation she gained experience of acute medical wards, rehabilitation, stroke rehabilitation, hand therapy and rheumatology. It was during rotation into the rheumatology department that Susan decided that this was where she wished to specialise and she has worked in  rheumatology since 2003.

Susan helped to set up and develop the new diagnosis Inflammatory Arthritis Multi-disciplinary group and the Osteoarthritis of the hand education session.  

Elizabeth Doherty

Elizabeth qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2007 from the University of Salford.  She  worked at the Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley Hospital on a rotation and the Rheumatology service at Minerva Health Centre before joining the Rheumatology service at the Trust as a Specialist Occupational Therapist in 2015.

Her role involves working with patients with inflammatory and non- inflammatory arthritis.  She provides assessment and treatment for patients with a variety of hand conditions and supports patients to manage and cope with their activities of daily living. She runs the inflammatory arthritis patient education group and  the Osteoarthritis of the hand group.

Maria Myring 

Maria qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2018 from the University of Salford. She started her career working in a high dependency inpatient rehabilitation service with male service users in mental health before joining the Rheumatology service at ELHT in 2021.

Her role involves encouraging patients to take an active role in the OT process through assessment, intervention and engaging in meaningful activity. This may involve providing hand and wrist supports to help reduce pain and provide support along with hand exercises in order to encourage range of movement and strength.

Angela Donaghy

Angela started working for the Trust in 2002 as an Occupational Therapy assistant and has experience working on the wards at Accrington Victoria Hospital and Emergency department.  Angela has worked as an Occupational Therapy Technical instructor in rheumatology since 2009 and currently splits her role between the Rheumatology and Hand Therapy teams. Her role involves supporting the Occupational Therapist, completing activity of daily living assessments both in the hospital and in the patients home and also making and adapting bespoke soft splints for the hand. 

Versus Arthritis

Versus Arthritis offers practical and emotional support to help people learn to manage their condition more effectively, including guidance for adults and children receiving treatment with biologic drugs.

 

Versus Arthritis

Copeman House

St Marys Court, St Marys Gate

Chesterfield

S41 7TD

Main number – 0300 790 0400

 

Email - enquiries@versusarthritis.org

Website - https://www.versusarthritis.org/

Helpline – 0800 520 0520 (opening hours 9am – 6pm Mon-Fri.)

Email - helpline@versusarthritis.org

 

 

The Source

The Source is Arthritis Care's advice line for young people aged 25 and under.

Freephone advice line 0808 808 2000 (Weekdays 10.00am - 4.00pm)

Email: TheSource@arthritiscare.org.uk

 

Lupus UK

Lupus UK is the only national registered charity supporting people with systemic lupus and discoid lupus and assisting those approaching diagnosis.

www.lupusuk.org.uk

 

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)

The NRAS helpline team can provide detailed, written information to callers on a variety of subjects. Articles can be accessed on their website and they have a nationwide network of medical advisors who can answer specific, detailed medical queries.

www.nras.org.uk

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)

Unit B4 Westacott Business Centre

Westacott Way 

Littlewick Green

Maidenhead SL6 3RT

Patients can also speak to volunteers who are able to answer specific enquiries.

Tel: freephone 0800 298 7650 (Monday to Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm)

Email: enquiries@rheumatoid.org.uk

 

National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS)

The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society is a charity working for people affected by ankylosing spondylitis in the UK.

www.nass.co.uk

 

Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance (PAPAA)

The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance supports and advises people affected by psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

www.papaa.org

Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association

The Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association is a national charity and self-help organisation, committed to supporting people who have these conditions and their carers.

www.raynauds.org.uk

Reynauds and Scleroderma Association

112 Crewe Rd 

Alsager

Cheshire ST8 2JA

Tel: 01270 872776

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