Rheumatology

For inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue diseases we specialise in the early diagnosis and long term management which is essential to preserve joint function and prevent major organ damage.

Members of our department hold outpatients clinics at Addenbrooke’s, Newmarket Hospital, and Saffron Walden Hospital. We also have facilities for day case services and inpatients at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

We work in partnership with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust to provide the Greater Cambridge Community Musculoskeletal Service which includes the clinic at Chesterton Medical Centre.

If you have an appointment with us, there is extra information available about coming to the department.

Our multidisciplinary approach

All of our clinics are led by consultants. We understand that patients often benefit from a “holistic” approach where the patient can be considered “as a whole”. In the rheumatology department doctors work together with specialist nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists in what is know as a multi-disciplinary team, so that our patients can benefit from their different types of expertise.

In some back pain clinics you may be seen by clinical specialist physiotherapists (spinal triage physiotherapists) who are senior experienced physiotherapists who have had additional training in assessment and diagnosis.

Some of our follow-up clinics are run by our rheumatology practitioners, who have expertise in the treatment and care of rheumatological conditions. They are highly trained and experienced clinicians with training in nursing, physiotherapy or occupational therapy.

We also work closely with our colleagues in other departments such as radiology, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, respiratory medicine and the pain service.