Before I go docs just wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem.

Since moving to Bath from Devon my hands became really dry and sore – doctor said it was a mild form of eczema because of the hard water here. Started using aqeuous cream which has helped the dryness but now it seems to have developed red bumps/swellings on certain fingers which hurts when making a fist – anyone else had this? Doesn't seem to look like eczema anymore, making my hands feel really stiff and painful.

kind of like heat rash? Athlete's foot cream.

Ive got pretty bad pompholyx hand eczema unfortunatly, and hard water really isnt any good for mine either. The syptoms you describe are fairly typical, with the red bumps/swellings around knuckles sometimes ending in split skin. You still need to get down the doctors though, as it may be a secondary infection.

Theres little point in me recomending things that help, as everyones different and theres loads of websites with good info that you an google up.

Could be some so form of contact dermatitis,
ask your doc for diprosalic ointment, symptoms u describe are similar to mine,
so could be same?