The service aims to provide early assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients with axial spondyloarthritis. Patients can be referred to either Barnet Hospital or Edgware Community Hospital. Useful resources

• Back Pain Series webinar: a live webinar recording of Professor Hasan Tahir and Mrs Sian Bamford discussing optimising the diagnosis and management of patients with back pain with a focus on axial spondyloarthritis
• patient podcasts: eight short podcasts discussing questions frequently asked by axial spondyloarthritis patients
• axial spondyloarthritis patient information: See Downloads.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

The service is open for patients over the age of 16 who experience four out of five of the following criteria:

• back pain which starts during adolescence or early adulthood (45 years old or younger)
• back pain that is gradual on onset
• back pain which improves with exercise
• back pain which does not improve with rest
• back pain at night which improves on getting up.

The service does not ask for HLA-B27 or CRP blood tests or spinal/ sacroiliac joint x-rays or MRI scans.

How to Refer

The service accepts referrals from consultants and primary care clinicians including GPs, first contact practitioners and musculoskeletal triage services.

Locations

Barnet Hospital

Edgware Community Hospital