New specialist Rheumatology Centre to open at Rochdale Infirmary

Dr Neil Snowden, Lead Consultant Rheumatologist at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Rochdale Infirmary, with patient

A new multi-disciplinary, specialised rheumatology centre will open next week at Rochdale Infirmary.

The new centre will open on 2 April 2012 and will offer specialist enhanced outpatient and day case facilities. The service will be based in an existing ward at the Infirmary called the Marland Ward. Opening hours will be from 8.00am – 8.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00am – 4.00pm on Friday.

The centre will be called The Pennine Rheumatology Centre and will treat patients from Rochdale, Bury, Oldham, North Manchester and parts of Rossendale (particularly Whitworth and Bacup). Approximately 16,000 people across these geographical areas are affected by inflammatory rheumatic disease.

Patients with a number of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis will all benefit from the new centre. They will be able to receive care from a multidisciplinary team including a consultant, specialist nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and podiatrist, all at one location and in the shortest possible time.

Currently patients’ appointments can be spread across a number of weeks. The aim of the centre is to enable patients to receive care from a range of professionals in one place, and where possible, on the same day.

Dr Neil Snowden, Lead Consultant Rheumatologist at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Rochdale Infirmary, said: “Rheumatology conditions cause long term illness and can have both a physical and psychological effect on both the patient and their family and friends. The best results for patients come from a multidisciplinary approach with input from a range of professionals such as specialist nurses, physiotherapists, podiatrists and occupational therapists working together under one roof.

“The new centre will allow us to focus intensively on those patients who are experiencing a flare up in their condition. It will create a central hub of rheumatology expertise and research which will not only benefit our own patients, but which we hope will allow us to become leaders in rheumatology services across Greater Manchester.”

The Pennine Rheumatology Centre will offer complex infusion treatments (where medication is administrated through the bloodstream) and techniques such as ultrasound, biologic infusions (biologic drugs copy the effects of substances naturally made by the body's immune system) and joint injections.

Kate Hudson, a rheumatology patient, said: “From a patient's perspective I am very pleased and encouraged by the developments within the rheumatology departments at the Pennine Acute Trust, especially the opening of the centralised Rheumatology service at Rochdale Infirmary.

“I feel it will be of great benefit to patients to be able to access all aspects of the rheumatology service in one place on one visit. It will mean that I can access the care that I need quickly and remove the need for me to attend numerous different appointments across a number of days/weeks - especially at the times when I feel the worst during flare ups. It is also good to see services being introduced to the Rochdale Infirmary site.”