Waiting list slashed

9:37am Thursday 23rd November 2006

THREE years ago people with chronic joint pain were being forced to wait for more than four months for treatment.

Now, thanks to hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment, waiting lists have been slashed to just six weeks.

In 2003 there was just one clinic per week at the Royal Bolton Hospital for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Since then, services have been moved into the community - to the Lever Chambers Centre for Health - and now there are more than 50 clinics, including those run by nurses, who treat almost 5,000 people each year.

Bolton is the only place in the country to have these services outside a hospital.

New wonder-drugs, etanercept and adalimumab, which produce a protein that reduces inflammation in the joints, are now available in the borough - but only 25 people are taking them. In neighbouring Blackburn 100 people are taking the drugs.

Dr Keatley Adams, consultant physician in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, said: "People think we're a GP level service, but this is secondary care, which is normally received in hospital. We really want more people to be referred to us, this is a very exciting time because of the new treatment available."

It is estimated there are 2,500 people in Bolton with rheumatoid arthritis.

Former hairdresser Brenda Waddington, aged 60, of Westhoughton, has also been taking the drugs for 15 months.

She said: "I paid privately for treatment three years ago because the waits were so long, but this service is fantastic now and the new drugs have given me a new lease of life."

Patients can only be referred to the rheumatology clinic through their GP or hospital.

Vigorous tests are carried out to determine if they are eligible for the new drugs as there are side-effects, such as people becoming prone to infection.