PatientPlus ~ access to more in-depth information

We currently have 2196 PatientPlus articles.

PatientPlus is an extension to Patient UK, covering a wide range of medical subjects in more detail. The articles are written for doctors and other healthcare professionals. However, some people find that they add depth to the 'plain English' articles found in the patient focused sections of this website which are specifically written for non medical people.

PatientPlus information is written by our expert authoring team, consisting of independent GPs, doctors working for producers of GP further education courses, and occasionally reproduced with permission from national organisations such as the British Heart Foundation. For more information on the origin of PatientPlus information, please click here.

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Patient experience contributions on medical conditions can be viewed here.

Browse by A-Z (below) or search using the 'Search Patient UK' box above.

How PatientPlus is written

PatientPlus authors refer to the following key sources when writing the articles:

• Recently published review articles, important RCTs, meta-analyses (e.g. Cochrane) which are identified in standard peer reviewed medical journals such as the BMJ, Lancet, etc, identified following a current Medline search.
• Any current guidelines produced by reputable UK organisations such as NICE, SCHIN, SIGN, and professional bodies such as the RCGP, RCOG etc.
• Evidence based sources such as EBM, Clinical evidence, and DTB etc.
• Latest editions of reputable textbooks.
• References are given for each leaflet, many of which are linked online directly to the full text source of the article of guideline.

Each article is checked against other detailed sources of reference, and where advice differs, articles are sent for further review to GPs with a special interest for their advice and amendment.

All articles are critically read by at least two doctors, both practicing GPs, to check that the articles are compatible with the most recent national guidelines and current best practice. If an article falls outside the normal experience or expertise of GPs, the subject is referred to appropriate practitioners working in secondary care for confirmation that the advice offered equals current best practice.

Articles are reviewed at least every two years. Most are reviewed earlier or more regularly if new information is published, or new guidance is issued that affects medical practice. New content is regularly created in response to user feedback and changes in clinical practice.