Rachel has been working in the Rheumatology department of the Royal Free since 2002 and is now back from maternity leave. Her role focuses strongly on education. The Royal Free attempts not only to treat Scleroderma medically and investigate it scientifically but also to teach people about their illness and how to live with it.
Raynaud's and Scleroderma are both fairly unknown conditions and when a patient is newly diagnosed with either condition at the Royal Free they are invited to spend time with Rachel who ensures that the patient fully understands their illness, their treatment and how they can help manage it. As many rheumatological conditions are very complicated, and however long a medical consultation may be, there are always more questions patients need to ask. This is where the specialist nurses come in - they are available during the clinic (or at another pre-arranged time) to sit down with patients and discuss any unanswered questions.
The need for information is not fully satisfied by a single educational visit but extends through the lifetime of the disease and we hope it helps patients to know that the nurses are always available to answer their questions.
Rachel's role also encompasses keeping all of the specialist information literature up to date. Due to the nature of Scleroderma, research is constantly being carried out which can sometimes result in a change to the accepted wisdom.
As Scleroderma is such an unknown condition it is often the case that ward nurses and other staff in the hospital do not fully understand the needs of scleroderma patients. Rachel carries out regular educational sessions for staff on the wards at the Royal Free to enable staff to offer best care and an understanding ear when patients are admitted to the ward.