Rheumatology - Rheumatology Blood Monitoring Clinic - Biologics

Name:

Hospital Number:

NHS Number:

Consultant:

This leaflet gives you information about your new rheumatology biologic medication.

You will first attend the Drug Education Clinic with your rheumatology Specialist Nurse. For any appointments at this clinic, you will need to report to the main outpatient reception then make your way to outpatient area 4.

The following information will be shared with you:

□    Risks and benefits of treatment
□    The Versus Arthritis UK leaflet
□    Blood test/chest X-ray
□    Importance of contacting our blood test appointment line on 0161 206 2339 when you receive your delivery
□    Importance of contacting our Rheumatology Prescription Co- ordinator on 0161 206 8457 two weeks before needing a new prescription

The treatment will be administered by yourself (or a trained relative/friend) at home by subcutaneous injection.
 
The treatment will be delivered by a homecare delivery company. You will receive a telephone call to arrange an initial home visit by one of their nurses who will teach you how to do the injections and safely dispose them.

Your home care company is:

□    Lloyds contact details are 0345 263 6119
□    Sciensus contact details are 01283 501 390
□    HealthNet contact details are 08000833060
□    Pharmaxo contact details are 01225 302 188
□    Alcura contact details are 0800 980 0686

□    Useful links:

Versus Arthritis
http://www.versusarthritis.org

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
http://www.nras.org.uk/

National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society
https://nass.co.uk/
 
Your blood monitoring schedule for your biologic injection called ____________________________________________________ will be:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After attending your Drug Education Clinic, you will then commence your blood monitoring. For this clinic you will report directly to Area 4 in outpatients without booking at the main outpatient reception.

As your treatment is prescribed by the rheumatology team at Salford, the blood tests will need to be done at the hospital.

Blood Monitoring Clinics are open Monday to Friday 8.40am – 12pm (morning clinic) and 1pm-5pm (afternoon clinic). It is your responsibility to make sure you have Blood Monitoring Clinic appointments arranged.

Please ensure you bring this leaflet to all your appointments and that you attend your allocated Blood Monitoring Clinic appointments, avoiding any changes to your appointments. If you do not attend your blood monitoring appointments, we will not be able to continue to prescribe your medication.

The blood monitoring schedule may change if your blood tests are abnormal or any changes in your medication and you will be contacted over the phone to discuss this. Some medications do have a different schedule to this, and this will have been discussed when you started your medication.

If you are on Methotrexate, please continue your usual blood monitoring regime.

If the other rheumatology medications are monitored via blood tests by the GP, please continue to do so.

Top tips to remember if you are on 'biologic therapy'

• If you have an infection which is severe enough to require antibiotics, make sure you stop your biologic treatment until you have recovered and are off the antibiotic
• If you are planning to have any surgery, please let your surgeon know that you are on biologic treatment as you may need to stop it before the procedure to minimise any infection risks. Minor surgery, including dental surgery is usually safe, but it is important to check with your dentist first
• Make sure you have the flu jab every year and have had the pneumonia immunisation (Pneumovax®) at least once
• If you are due to have any immunisations, please check with your GP/nurse as you cannot have live immunisations (including Zostavax® live shingles vaccine) whilst on biologic treatment. For patients who require the shingles vaccine, Shingrix® (non-live shingles vaccine) should be offered
• If you become pregnant whilst on treatment, or are planning a pregnancy, please discuss with your rheumatologist/specialist nurse about whether to continue biologic therapy. Men are also advised to discuss with their rheumatologist if their partner is planning a pregnancy
• If you were on biologic therapy during the later stages of pregnancy, ensure your baby does not have live vaccines such as BCG immunisation or rotavirus until at least seven months old. Other non-live immunisations are safe
• Please remember that biologic therapies are very expensive. Once they have been delivered to your home they cannot be reused. Please do not accept any more deliveries of your treatment if you have stopped/are planning to stop treatment

Treatment

Blood Monitoring 

Useful contact numbers and information

Blood test appointments 0161 206 2339
9am - 12 noon Monday to Friday

Prescription queries 0161 206 8457

Rheumatology advice line 0161 524 1428:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Opening times are at the top right-hand corner of your clinic letter

The Rheumatology Consultant’s secretary:
Prof. Dixon/Dr Harrison/Dr Jani/Dr Ayub - 0161 206 1082
Prof. O'Neill/Dr Low - 0161 206 4627
Dr Samaranayaka/Dr Hughes - 0161 206 4264
Dr Kamath/Prof. Chinoy/Dr Lilleker - 0161 206 7048