Patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis benefit significantly from swift assessment by secondary care. If disease modifying drugs are started soon after presentation, the likelihood of full remission is greatly improved. This has always been challenging within the resource limitations of the NHS and waiting lists are now higher than ever as we try to catch up from the pandemic. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell speaks to Dr Danny Murphy about the basics of making a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, when to refer and what investigations to carry out before referral as well as talking about the role of the GP in the care of a patient with diagnosed inflammatory arthritis. Dr Murphy also discusses how your management might change if you know that your patient is going to wait longer than is ideal, and when you might want to communicate directly with your local rheumatologist.

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Reviewed: March 2026