What is Rheumatology?
Rheumatology is a medical term that is used to refer to the treatment of rheumatic disorders and diseases. These conditions often cause chronic, but sometimes intermittent, pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. There are more than 200 types of these conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, and tendinitis. Some of these are very serious diseases that can be difficult to diagnose and treat, but people have found that sharing information and learning more about their conditions can help.
Community Rheumatology at Connect Health
Community rheumatology provides rheumatology services close to people’s homes through the NHS. Patients transferred into the service can expect to be offered local appointments, telephone consultations, annual reviews, 24-hour call back and 48-hour face to face appointments. There are regular NHS community clinics held both virtually and face to face, which are staffed by specialist rheumatology nurses who work closely alongside consultant rheumatologists, the name given to specialists in this field. In East Kent the NHS community rheumatology service is operated by Connect Health.
Free patient education
On behalf of the NHS, Connect Health run free regular educational sessions for rheumatology patients and their carers so that they can find out more about rheumatology to support their condition. The sessions are open to anyone, even if they are not currently undergoing treatment or care within the service.
Sessions are in place to allow attendees to find out more about conditions, their treatments, identifying additional support available and receiving advice on managing their condition. People who attend regularly have expressed the benefit they have found within the sessions.
We also have virtual education sessions that are pre-recorded and you can access these below at any time.
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Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses what a Nurse Specialist in Rheumatology does and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses what steroids are, how they are used and the patient responsibility around them.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses Psoriatic Arthritis, what it is, how it’s different from other types of arthritis and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses hypertension symptoms, why high blood pressure matters and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses diabetes symptoms, the causes and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses osteoporosis, the causes, symptoms and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses the different types of pain, pain management and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses what osteoarthritis is, what causes it and explains the value of patient education.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service shares thoughts on Mindfulness, what it is, the benefits and how to become more mindful.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service shares thoughts on Fibromyalgia, what it is, the benefits and self-help guidance.
Ricardo Victoi, Clinical Nurse Specialist in our East Kent Rheumatology Service discusses the immune system, how it works and explains the value of patient education.
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