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Rheumatology

We have rheumatology teams based across both Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals, who work hard to deliver high quality care to our patients with joint problems and other related musculoskeletal conditions.

The team runs outpatient clinics and operate as a multi-disciplinary team where consultants, doctors, specialist nurses and others healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists and rheumatology practitioners, offer a general rheumatology service as well as an osteoporosis service, working with administrative staff to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Research

Maidstone Hospital is the site for our commercial clinical trial work and we are often looking for potential patients. Contact Catherine Oram on 01622 224609 or speak to our Research and Development team by ringing our main number 01622 729000.

Advice line

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital runs an advice line for patients under our care with inflammatory conditions. It is an answerphone service where patients are invited to leave a message regarding changes in their condition and we will ring them back. Calls are prioritised and we endeavour to answer all calls within 72 hours.

This is not for urgent issues, in these circumstances we ask you contact your GP or 111. Messages are picked up between 8am -1pm Monday to Friday. If you are only available during a certain time frame please let us know. We will attempt to call you back twice if we are unable to contact you we will leave a message where possible and no further attempts will be made.

Please ensure you leave your:

  • Full name
  • Hospital or NHS number
  • Date of birth
  • Contact numbers

If we cannot identify you we will not be able to ring you back.

The advice line is for:

  • Side effects from drugs prescribed by us
  • Flares of conditions that have not improved using self-help measures for at least a week (ie increasing pain control, pacing etc)
  • Ordering injectable Metoject
  • Organising infusions Truxima (Rituximab) or Zolendronic Acid infusions or denosumab injections.

What the advice line is not for:

  • Sorting out clinic appointments (expediting appointments or booking appointments) – please call the booking team on 01622 228219
  • Giving out results from clinic appointments including blood results, xrays or scans
  • New patients that are yet to be seen – we cannot offer you advice please speak to your GP
  • Queries relating to non rheumatological conditions.