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Rheumatology experience in Northern Ireland

Posted By Muzikonmyip0d

"Rheumatology experience in Northern Ireland"

About: Belfast City Hospital / Rheumatology Musgrave Park Hospital / Rheumatology Rheumatology / Rheumatology Day/biological Unit - Withers 3B Rheumatology / Rheumatology Unit - Whithers 3A

(as the patient),

I have had experience of rheumatology services both in England and in Northern Ireland. I have to say I think the service in Northern Ireland is very poor, and certainly worse since Covid.

I have seen a GP once in 2 years for shared care and a consultant once. With the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) advice line, if you are lucky you might get a call back in 48 hours or not at all.

I am on methotrexate and a biologic and feel like I've been ignored and forgotten and just left to manage my condition on my own. Shortly after having had pneumonia, I had a flare. After 4 days of trying to get advice from the advice line, I was told by a nurse to take paracetamol.

If it wasn't for the fact that I would be in agony and completely disabled within a month of stopping all my medication, I would tell my rheumatologist I want to stop being their patient.

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Responses

Response from Paul McKeown, Dermatology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 3 years ago
Paul McKeown
Dermatology,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 09/02/2022 at 13:26
Published on Care Opinion at 13:26

My Name is Paul McKeown, I am the Assistant Service Manager for the Rheumatology department at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. I am disappointed to read of your experience of our service and your challenges in receiving the care and support you require.

As a service we strive to meet our patients needs and its disappointing when we fail to deliver an acceptable standard of care.

Thank you for recognising the challenges that the pandemic has brought to our service. We have tried to meet the needs of our patients by offering both face to face and virtual appointments however we recognise that we need to continue to adapt our service to provide excellent standards of care.

You have raised a number of issues personal to your own treatment and I would welcome the opportunity to explore these further with you and look for ways to further enhance your care and our services. If you would like to arrange a conversation with myself please feel free to contact me at any time via email initially paulD.mckeown@belfasttrust.hscni.net

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