Who to see?

How do I make the right choice?

There are a number of healthcare professionals that will be able to help you get a diagnosis. These range from general knowledge of common conditions through to specialist care at dedicated centres.

Below we list the best place to start which hopefully will lead you to see and get an accurate diagnosis of what is causing your skin or joint problems. 

Primary care

If you develop any symptoms regardless of the cause and you are sufficiently concerned about them, you should always seek advice from your healthcare provider.

In the modern day NHS this will include a number of professionals.  This is known as a Primary Care Team (PCT).  This is a group of health and social care professionals who work together in a multidisciplinary team and includes:

• general practitioner
• practice nurses
• nurse practitioners
• pharmacists
• occupational therapists
• health visitors
• physiotherapists
• midwives
• physician assistants
• district nurses
• stop smoking advisers
• care co-ordinators
• practice managers
• receptionists
• clerical staff

Some of the wider team may be based at your GP practice, to find out more visit your practice’s website.

Make an appointment with your GP or speak to your local pharmacist to discuss your symptoms and concerns. If you do not have access or are registered with a GP you can find your nearest GP service by visiting the NHS GP finder website

Secondary care

You may be referred to secondary care by your primary care physician if more specialised  knowledge skill or equipment is required, than the primary care physician can provide.

Your primary care physician will decide what kind of specialist input they need and refer you/make an appointment with the appropriate service.

In psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis you may be referred to a number of individuals for more specific tests such as blood tests and x-rays.

The professionals included are:

• dermatologist (specialist in skin conditions)
• rheumatologist (specialist in bone and joint conditions)
• phlebotomists (people trained to draw blood)
  
• radiographer (people who take images such as x-rays, mri, etc.)
• physiotherapist (people who specialise in musculoskeletal treatments)
• orthopaedic surgeon (joint replacement)
• dermatology nurse specialist
• rhematology nurse specialist
• clinical specialist nurse
• psychologists
• clinic nurse (who will record blood pressure, weight, etc.)

You can find your nearest hospital by visiting the NHS hospital finder

If you would like to find out more about your local services and how they rank you can visit:

• England Care Quality Commision
• Scotland Care Inspectorate
• Wales Care Inspectorate Wales
• Norther Ireland The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority