Helpline

You don’t need to face arthritis alone. Our advisors aim to bring all of the information and advice about arthritis into one place to provide tailored support for you.

Call 0800 5200 520 for free today (Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm)

The helpline is closed from 12.00 pm the last Friday of every month for training.

Email us: helpline@versusarthritis.org

Write to us:

Helpline
Versus Arthritis
Copeman House, St Mary’s Court
St Mary’s Gate
Chesterfield S41 7TD

You can also speak to the helpline, as well as other people with arthritis, through our online community.

Please note: calls to our 0800 number are free when calling from within the UK but charges will apply when calling from abroad. For more information you will need to contact your network provider.

Our aim is to provide people with arthritis, and those around them, with up to date information, advice and emotional support.

We can help with over 200 conditions, including OA, RA, fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis and gout.

We want to empower people to understand more about their condition and the treatments and self-help options available.

We aim to bring you the most up to date evidence-based information and developments on arthritis and rheumatology, based on the latest research and medical information. We will always try to answer your questions.

We provide information and support on a range of topics such as:-

• Understanding your condition
• Managing your condition
• How to get a diagnosis
• Medication and treatment options
• Pain management
• Issues with work
• Benefits available
• Self-help (diet, exercise, complementary therapies)
• Surgery
• Latest research
• Services available

We also offer a telephone interpreting service for people whose first language isn’t English. Call our helpline to request an interpreter.

You can be sure you’ll speak to someone who understands, because each member of the team are trained and have extensive knowledge of different types of arthritis and are updated regularly on new developments.

Your medical questions

We receive a wide variety of enquiries but please be aware that we are not medically trained and are unable to answer individual medical questions. We would always refer you to your consultant or GP in this situation. We really do appreciate how frustrating this is as often it is difficult to get through to healthcare professionals, but it would be unsafe for us to field this type of question.

When appropriate we will share with you other sources and give details of the best organisation to help you, perhaps with more in-depth knowledge and experience on a particular topic.

What happens when I get in touch?

If you contact us, you’ll receive support that is tailored to your needs. Our helpline advisor will listen and give you balanced information and personal support. If appropriate, they’ll send you information for you to read in your own time.

You’re welcome to get in touch again with any further questions you may have.

We can only give very general advice and cannot give direct medical advice on individual's circumstances.

Lines open from 9am-6pm, Monday–Friday (excluding bank holidays). All calls are free from all UK landlines and on consumer mobile phones.

Please note that our advisors aren’t medically trained and aren’t able to offer you individual medical advice. We recommend that you speak with your GP or another healthcare professional for one-to-one medical advice. Calls are recorded for training and quality purposes.

Your personal information and details of the enquiries received are stored on a secure database in line with our privacy policy. If for any reason you wish to have your personal details removed, please contact our supporter care team on 0300 790 0400.

Our helpline is a member of the Helplines Partnership, which helps us to make sure that we provide a high quality and professional service.