Information in Derby

A Derby based self-help group has worked with regional staff to set up an information point in Derbyshire Royal Infirmary’s (DRI) rheumatology department, enabling people with arthritis to find out more about their condition.

Arthritis Care’s East Midlands Arthritis Self-Help group (EMASH) received a £500 donation from the Newmount Methodist Church Women's Fellowship of Derby, to be used to benefit local people with arthritis.

Margo Basri, information services manager (volunteers) said: ‘Our link with DRI rheumatology department has been very close over the years specifically in supplying booklets for the newly diagnosed patients.’

Margo continued: ‘We were however looking for an information volunteer who would coordinate the provision of information booklets for the whole department and regularly visit the hospital to check stock and place orders. EMASH were aware of this and not only gave the donation to provide a wall rack for the booklets but offered an information volunteer too!’

Elisabeth King is the information volunteer who will be looking after the information point. Elisabeth says: ‘Being an information volunteer enables me to get booklets about arthritis to the people who need them. It’s such a worthwhile role even if only one person tells me that they didn’t know there is so much good information about arthritis available.’

Richard Whitehorn, rheumatology nurse specialist at DRI said: ‘We are very aware in the department how important it is to people with arthritis to have a broad range of information about arthritis and the ways that it can impact on people’s lives. So we are very pleased to have a new information point containing the excellent Arthritis Care information booklets, and we are grateful for the funding for this information point and for Elisabeth's work in ensuring we always have the display racks topped up.’