Early assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are offered for individuals with axial spondyloarthritis. Patients can be referred to either Barnet Hospital or Edgware Community Hospital.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

The service is open to patients over the age of 16 who have experienced back pain for more than 3 months and fulfil four out of five of the following criteria:

• back pain which starts before the age of 40 years
• 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

Referrals to the service do not require prior HLA-B27 or CRP testing or spinal or 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.