Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases

Listen or watch along as we discuss Soft Tissue Problems in Arthritis. In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr Will Tillett, Consultant Rheumatologist & Head of Rheumatology  at the RNHRD,  RUH Bath.. We explore soft tissue problems — the tendons, muscles and ligaments and other structures that sit around the joint rather than insid...

Listen or watch along as we talk about Psychological support service at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD), Bath UK. In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr Natalie Slay, Specialist Clinical Psychologist  at the RNHRD,  RUH Bath about the emotional and psychological side of living with rheumatic disease. We explo...

Listen or watch along as we explore the changes in Vasculitis treatments since our first series in 2020. In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr Sarah Skeoch, Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD, RUH Bath about new guidelines and changes in ANCAVasculitis.  We learn how, in the past few years, new treatments have arrived, how steroid...

Listen or watch along as we dive into updates on axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) treatments and 'The 2025 British Society for Rheumatology guideline  for treatment of  axial Spondyloarthritis with biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs'. In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Professor Raj Sengupta, Consultant rheumatologist  and...

Listen or watch along as we dive into updates on axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) treatments and 'The 2025 British Society for Rheumatology guideline  for treatment of  axial Spondyloarthritis with biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs'. In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Professor Raj Sengupta, Consultant rheumatologist  and...

Listen or watch along as we dive into the changing landscape of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) diagnosis. In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr Tom Williams, Consultant rheumatologist and Education Lead at the RNHRD, RUH Bath about changes to the axSpA diagnosis process since our first series in 2020. From persistent delays and the d...

In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr. Victoria Flower  about Gastrointestinal (GI) issues in Systemic Sclerosis This episode is part two of a two part series. This time we focus on the  Lower GI  talking about the movement of food through the lower GI tract and common issues one might experience such as  a sluggish bowel and bacteria...

In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr. Victoria Flower  about Gastrointestinal (GI) issues in Systemic Sclerosis This episode is part one of a two part series, with this first episode focussing on Upper GI issues and part two the Lower GI tract. We begin with a brief introduction around the whole  topic and run through issues such as...

In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr. Andrew Allard about Palindromic Arthritis. Andrew explains what Palindromic Arthritis is and when the term used. He talks about symptoms, treatments and a longer term outlook for people who have may have received this diagnosis.  Dr Allard is a Consultant Rheumatologist at the Royal National Hosp...

In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Dr. Jo Daniels about Raynaud’s.  Jo, a clinical psychologist, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and academic from the University of Bath,  shares key findings from her research and discusses the psychophysiology of Raynaud’s - how stress and anxiety can trigger symptoms. She also shares some pra...

In the second episode of this two-part series, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Christopher Joyce, Extended Scope Podiatrist (MSK and Rheumatology), Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London.  Episode two focusses on Midfoot (arch area)  and the Rearfoot (ankle) and questions sent in by BIRDs patient audience. If you can please rate our podca...

In the first episode of this two-part series, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme talks with Christopher Joyce, Extended Scope Podiatrist (MSK and Rheumatology), Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London. Episode one focusses on common foot and ankle problems and the Forefoot (toes and ball of foot). If you can please rate our podcasts on your listening pl...

In this episode, podcast host Mel Brooke, BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme, talks about some updates relating to Osteoporosis with expert guest Dr Sarah Hardcastle, a Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD, RUH Bath. It includes news of a new medicine, updated national treatment guidelines, some updates about the RNHRD and questions sent in by BIRDs patient audience. If you can please...

In this information podcast episode, host Mel Brooke on behalf of BIRDs Patient and Public Engagement Programme, talks about Pagets Disease of the Bone with expert guest Dr Sarah Hardcastle, a Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD, RUH Bath who explains what  Pagets Disease is, talks through the symptoms that people can experience and how people are diagnosed with the condition, available treatme...

In this podcast in our wellbeing series aimed at helping people who have rheumatic conditions with aspects of symptom self-management and wellbeing, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) invites Professor Emma Dures to talk about the impact of rheumatic disease on people's mental health. Useful Links: Please visit the  ⁠⁠BIRD website ⁠⁠  for more podcasts includin...

In this podcast in our wellbeing series aimed at helping people who have rheumatic conditions with aspects of symptom self-management and wellbeing, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) has a discussion with Dr Ben Davis, about persistent pain. Ben is an advanced practice physiotherapist at the RNHRD, who specialises in persistent pain and shares his career path in p...

In this podcast in our wellbeing series aimed at helping people who have rheumatic conditions with aspects of symptom self-management and wellbeing, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) has a discussion with Dr Ben Davis, about persistent pain. Ben is an advanced practice physiotherapist at the RNHRD, who specialises in persistent pain and shares his career path in p...

In this first episode in our podcast mini-series about the new British Society of Rheumatology Guidelines for Myositis, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) talks with expert guest Dr Sarah Tansley, Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD (Bath) and Senior Clinical Lecturer at Bath University. Sarah explains what the guidelines are, who they are for and what they cont...

In this second episode in our podcast mini-series about the new British Society of Rheumatology Guidelines for Myositis, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) continues to talk with expert guest Dr Sarah Tansley, Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD (Bath) and Senior Clinical Lecturer at Bath University. In this series, Sarah explains what the guidelines are, who th...

In this second podcast episode about 'Nutrition, Diet and Arthritis' - a series aimed at helping people who have rheumatic conditions with aspects of symptom self-management and wellbeing - Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) has a discussion with Chhavi Bansal, about Nutrition and arthritis. Chhavi is a Registered Associate Nutritionist and chef who has als...

In this podcast in our wellbeing series aimed at helping people who have rheumatic conditions with aspects of symptom self-management and wellbeing, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) has a discussion with Chhavi Bansal, about Nutrition and arthritis. Chhavi is a Registered Associate Nutritionist and chef who has also worked within a clinical nutrition capacity. Sh...

In this first episode in our podcast mini-series about GOUT, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) talks with expert guest Dr Tom Williams, Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD (Bath) who explains what GOUT is, talks through the symptoms that people can experience and how people are diagnosed with GOUT. If you can please rate our podcasts on your listening platform....

In the second episode in our podcast mini-series about GOUT, Mel Brooke, Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) continues the conversation about GOUT with expert guest Dr Tom Williams, Consultant Rheumatologist at the RNHRD (Bath). Tom talks through the treatment and medication options to help managed symptoms and reduce attacks of GOUT. If you can please rate our podcasts on your...

This episode shares information about the new British Society for Rheumatology treatment guidelines for Psoriatic Arthritis . Mel Brooke, the Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) talks with expert guest Dr William Tillett, Consultant Rheumatologist, RNHRD, RUH Bath who explains what the guidelines are and how they have been updated. If you can please rate our podcasts on your li...

This is the first episode in our podcast mini-series about the new NICE guidelines for Osteoarthritis.   Mel Brooke, the Patient and Public Engagement Programme Director (BIRD) talks with expert guest Mr Christopher Martey, chartered physiotherapist who explains the NICE guidelines background and updates that were published in 2022.   If you can please rate our podcasts on your listening platform....