1. Why would a patient choose to see you ?
First and foremost I am an experienced rheumatologist, passionate about my speciality and my profession as a doctor. I am a dedicated clinician but I am also an international leader in the field of Psoriatic Arthritis and have led numerous local, national and international clinical trials and research studies over the last decade. I speak internationally throughout the year to clinicians, academics and industry about arthritis. I have published hundreds of articles and book chapters on the assessment and treatment of arthritis and recently was asked to lead (chair) the British Association of Rheumatology Psoriatic Arthritis treatment guidelines last year. So if you want an assessment of your case from a leader in the field who is also a passionate about clinical work then please get in contact.
2. What can a patient expect from a consultation with you?
The first thing you can expect is time. I have allocated a generous amount of time for a first appointment with me where I can really get to understand you and the problems and the health concerns you have. My approach will be tailored to your needs, so after a detailed conversation and examination you may need specialised tests to completely understand your condition. If you have a long term condition then you can expect a bespoke service with personalised, regular care. I write my letters directly to you in plain language so you can feel fully informed and in control of your own condition.
3. What are your special interests?
I specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and aching in the body. To put that more medically I specialise in arthritis and bone health, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Gout, Pseudogout, Tendonitis (plantar fasciitis or tennis elbow), bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, spondyloartrhitis (also known as AxSpA or AS) and osteoporosis. My particular areas of specialist expertise is Psoriatic Arthritis (arthritis associated with psoriasis). I am able to offer face to face or remote consultation for these conditions.
You may have noticed from the list above that I do not specialise in the assessment or treatment of fibromyalgia or the connective tissue diseases (such as lupus or sjogrens) so these fall outside the scope of what I offer.
4. Do you work with a special team within the hospital?
Absolutely. Whilst your first appointment will just be with me we will involve wider expert member of the multidisciplinary team experts in their fields. For diagnosis we have a network of trusted expert radiologists (specialist doctors in imaging) and excellent lab staff expert in complex tests of the immune system. Tests are done quickly and checked by experts in the field. I have a personal network of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists to support your care.
5. Do you work with other consultants or specialist nurses?
Close working with other specialists is essential for the correct diagnosis and optimal treatment of many rheumatic conditions. I have worked closely with a group of trusted allied clinicians in primary care (GP’s), dermatology, gastroenterology , radiology and orthopaedics to get the very best result for the people I care for. We have a great team here to get your diagnosis and treatment right and tailored to your needs.
6. Do you have any particularly good recovery or success statistics?
Absolutely. I think the best way to judge recovery or success is with direct feedback Here are just a few things people have said over the last year:
“I really appreciated the time Dr Tillett gave me to reassure me and go through in detail my diagnosis and explain things to me”
“Thank you for listening so intently, your time, optimism, understanding, kindness and reassurance. I got what I needed from the appointment and it was definitely worth the long journey. I will go forward confident now understanding my condition”
“I wanted to thank you for your kindness and professionalism when listening to me during our appointments; you have such a unique understanding and care towards your patients, thank you”
7. Do you use enhanced recovery programs?
Yes, many rheumatic conditions affect parts of the body beyond the joints so we need to focus on the whole person the optimise outcomes. Therapy and diet plays an important role (is not just drugs!) so you can expect to have conversations about nutrition and rehabilitation as part of your care. I work with expert therapists to support recovery and if surgery is required surgeons who also have enhanced recovery programs
8. When and where did you train?
I trained in Bristol. I actually did a Bachelor of Science degree in Anatomy in the 1990’s where my passion for medicine started. I chose to stay in Bristol for my medical degree in 2003 and general medical training after that. I then moved to Bath for my research fellowship because of the internationally famous Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) and was awarded a PhD in 2014. I was appointed a consultant at the RNHRD in 2014 and Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath in the same year.
9. Have you won any awards?
Yes, the prize I am most grateful for is the European Alliance for Rheumatology Association (EULAR) clinical scientist prize for research excellence in 2014. The prize specifically related to my PhD project looking at the effect of advanced therapies for people living with arthritis. Whilst I have had awards from other local and national institutions including the Royal Society of Medicine the EULAR prize stands out for me personally.
10. Did you train in a recognised fellowship or under a renowned surgeon?
Yes, I added an extra three years to my postgraduate training with a research fellowship at the prestigious RNHRD. I gained additional experience in use of advanced therapies (biologics drugs), became skilled in diagnostic ultrasound. As part of the fellowship I was lucky to visit many international centres of excellence through an international network called GRAPPA. Even though the fellowship was some years ago now I remain grateful for the experience, skills and international network of colleges the time gave me.
11. Do you do any teaching or training yourself?
I am passionate about teaching. I support the clinical education of junior doctors in training. In fact I often have medical students observing in my NHS clinics. A more long term commitment has been the supervision five students through doctoral fellowships, taking 3 years each (PhD studies after their medical degrees). I also lecture pharmacy students at the University of Bath. These teaching activities are essential to support the next generation of doctors.
12. Do you have any publications ?
Yes, I believe strongly in the need to undertake research to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic disease as well as provide care for people living with arthritis. At the time of writing (2023) I have published more than 350 peer reviewed articles, guidelines, book chapters or conference proceedings on the assessment and treatment of psoriatic arthritis. This changes quickly so if you are interested in my most recent publications please look at my university or Research-Gate or Google Scholar profiles which have link to all my work and will be up-to-date:
University of Bath: William Tillett — the University of Bath's research portal
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/William-Tillett
13. What do you do to unwind?
I am passionate about my clinical and academic work so outside work I often borrow a bit of time to review papers for medical journals or supporting to wonderful charities that support research and education in arthritis (BIRD- a local rheumatology charity) and BritPACT- a national psoriatic arthritis charity, if you have a moment please do look them up on the internet. When I do put work to one side I can often be found in my workshop where I enjoy woodwork and have a small forge for blacksmithing projects. I am a keen cyclist and enjoy exercise. I am a keen dog owner and have tried (unsuccessfully) to train two wonderful dogs, a loving but entirely disobedient dachshund and delightfully energetic cocker spaniel!
