During a 10-minute consultation, you have approximately 30 seconds to look something up. The reference tool you reach for in those 30 seconds determines whether you get a fast, accurate answer or a frustrating search.
The Essential Three
NICE CKS (free). Authoritative UK primary care management pathways. Approximately 400 topics with evidence-graded recommendations. This is the management reference the AKT tests and the reference ARCP panels trust. Use for: first-line treatment, referral criteria, investigation pathways, safety-netting advice. Bookmark the 20 CKS topics you encounter most frequently.
Product information and medicines guidance. Use the exact product’s SmPC on eMC for licensed particulars and applicable NICE, SPS, local or specialist guidance for recommendations and implementation. Set up the services approved by your organisation before your first clinical session.
Ask iatroX (free). AI-powered clinical Q&A grounded in NICE and CKS guidance, with medicines information from SmPCs via eMC and citation-first answers. Use it for specific clinical questions that would otherwise require searching across multiple resources. "What is the first-line treatment for newly diagnosed AF in a patient with CKD stage 3?" — one question, one cited answer, 10 seconds. MHRA-registered medical device.
Broad Reference
GPnotebook (free tier / Pro £7.99/month). 30,000+ pages covering conditions, differentials, investigations. Faster than CKS for quick lookups. Use for: differential diagnosis lists, unfamiliar conditions, clinical pearls. The GEMs and quizzes add learning value.
Deep Medical Knowledge
AMBOSS (subscription). Global medical library. Excellent pathophysiology explanations. Use for: refreshing core medical science for conditions you haven't thought about since medical school. Less relevant for daily primary care management decisions.
BMJ Best Practice (free via NHS OpenAthens). Evidence-based clinical guidance with diagnostic algorithms. Use for: complex differential diagnosis, structured diagnostic approach.
When to Use Which
Management decision → CKS. Prescribing query → current UK medicines information. Specific clinical question → Ask iatroX. Quick condition lookup → GPnotebook. Deep pathophysiology → AMBOSS. Diagnostic algorithm → BMJ Best Practice.
Where iatroX Fits
Ask iatroX synthesises across NICE, CKS, SmPCs via eMC, and peer-reviewed literature — one interface for citation-first answers instead of switching between multiple tabs. Combined with 84+ clinical calculators on the same platform.