Our Department specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and ongoing management of a wide range of conditions which affect the joints and surrounding tissues. Conditions treated include arthritis, osteoporosis, vasculitis connective tissues and other systemic autoimmune diseases.
Our consultants have specialist interests in a range of conditions and we run dedicated multidisciplinary clinics for conditions such as Ankylosing spondylitis, connective tissue disorders and combined clinics with ophthalmology and retina specialist consultant. We also offer Capilloroscopy clinics, ultrasound of joints and joint injections if required.
We work as a multidisciplinary team of clinical staff, consultants, specialist rheumatology nurses and therapists. We are supported by medical secretaries and the booking team. We all work together to get the best outcomes for our patients. To access the rheumatology service patients need to be referred via electronic referral by their GP or a hospital consultant.
The rheumatology unit is situated at entrance B, Lincoln County Hospital, near the physiotherapy department. There is car parking available near us.
Our dedicated rheumatology team is situated in an independent self-contained unit within Lincoln County Hospital and provides outreach clinics at Boston, Grantham, Spalding and Skegness hospitals.
We have a specialized infusion suite, managed with registered general nurses. Patients will attend for infusions and injections to manage their conditions. The time spent within the infusion suite can vary dependent on the medication you are prescribed.
We undertake an active role in the education of undergraduates from the Nottingham medical school and Derby graduate entry medical school and therefore you may encounter students at your consultation.
We have an active research team and are taking part in national clinical trials. If you are interested in taking part in these then information can be obtained at your clinic or day case visit.
We regularly participate in audits and currently we are involved in the national early inflammatory arthritis audit which collates data on all new patients over the age of sixteen seen in specialist rheumatology departments who have suspected inflammatory arthritis.
We are very proud of our service and continually review how we can develop our service to provide excellence in care.
Information leaflets
Information about your appointment
We have a combination of video, telephone and face to face appointments. Due to restrictions from Covid-19 your first appointment will be via telephone or video. If you require more information regarding this please email [email protected]
Please check on your appointment letter which appointment you have been sent and location of appointment if face to face, your appointment may be located in the main outpatients department.
For face to face appointments please arrive five minutes early to check in.
Face to face appointments will require you:
- to attend on your own or with one other person who may or may not be able to present at your actual appointment
- to wear a face covering and respect social distancing measures
- to expect clinicians to wear PPE
- to have a urine sample (or provide one on arrival)
- to expect us to check your height and weight
- to expect us to check your blood pressure
- to have a physical assessment
For all appointments if relevant please have current medication information available. Including:
- A list
- A current prescription
- The boxes for the medications
Appointments enquiries office: (01522) 573200
For any query about your appointment. 9am to 4.30pm Monday – Friday
Rheumatology outpatient prescriptions – to order your tablets
Call 01522 707483 and leave your request on the answerphone.
Please provide
- Name
- Date of birth
- Name and dose of drug you take
- Allergies
- Hospital number
- Telephone number
- Which site you will collect your prescription from. Lincoln or Boston hospitals.
Please allow up to 14 days before collecting your prescription from either hospital Rowlands Pharmacy.
Prescription requests will only be processed if all of the above information is supplied.
Rheumatology Infusion enquiries please call 01522 597669 (afternoons only).
High Cost Therapies
Please provide the following information
- Name
- Date of birth
- A brief outline of you query
Call 01522307842 voicemail
Please be aware we cannot answer any clinical questions related to your condition.
Nurse advice line guidance
The nurse advice line has proved to be a valuable asset to our rheumatology patients who require support. In a recent audit during the covid-19 pandemic the rheumatology nursing team successfully managed to keep this service running with 94% of patients having a return call within 48hrs.
The nurse advice line is for non-urgent enquiries.
Please call the nurse advice line for enquiries relating to:
- Flare up of your disease
- Query about your medication
- Non urgent side effects to your medication
- Blood forms if you are taking long term anti-rheumatic medication (allow two weeks for these to be sent to you).
The use of this is for advice of your disease managed by the rheumatology team.
Nurse advice line: (01522) 573828 voicemail available, so please leave a message. Messages are picked up first thing in the morning Monday – Friday. (Excluding Bank Holidays). We also have an email, please only use one option to contact us.
Please remember to leave your full name, date of birth, NHS number, short message and telephone number for us to return your call. Messages are returned within two working days. We will only try to call back twice. Please speak slowly and clearly to make sure we get all your details.
Useful links
For more information about arthritis, please see the Versus Arthritis website.
For information and support services for those affected by rheumatoid arthritis, please visit the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society website.
For more information, please visit the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance website.
Further information is also available on the Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK website.