Executive overview
Under constant time pressure, UK clinicians are required to juggle continuous professional development, find reliable answers at the bedside, and verify evidence from a sea of information. The key to managing this is not finding a single "perfect" tool, but learning to match the right tool to the specific job at hand.
This guide provides a practical framework for this approach. We will map out a modern clinician's digital toolkit, showing when to use Praktiki for micro-CPD, when to turn to BMJ Best Practice for concise point-of-care summaries (available via OpenAthens with offline access), and when to use Medwise AI for rapid retrieval of both national and local NHS guidance. Finally, we'll explain how iatroX can act as a connective layer to capture the learning from these activities, complete with citations, and export it as a professional PDF for your appraisal (Mills & Reeve).
How we compare: our commitment to neutrality
This article compares the features of different platforms that you, the user, can independently verify. These include access routes, offline capabilities, whether citations are shown, local guideline coverage, and evidence export options.
Our goal is to provide an objective, educational guide. This approach follows the principles of the UK's Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which state that comparisons must be objective, based on verifiable facts, and must not denigrate competitors (ASA). We also reference the NHS DTAC as the official procurement baseline that readers can and should ask any vendor about (NHS Transformation Directorate).
Jobs-to-be-done map (choose by task, not brand)
Instead of thinking about which brand is "best," think about the clinical job you need to do right now.
- To stay current and build a learning habit (micro-CPD): Use Praktiki for daily, bite-sized modules and log your reflections as you go (GOV.UK).
- To answer a clinical question at the bedside (especially if offline): Use BMJ Best Practice, accessed via your NHS OpenAthens account, with its downloadable app and offline content packs (Mills & Reeve).
- To quickly pull the exact UK guideline (national + local): Use Medwise AI for its natural-language search across NICE guidelines and your local Trust's own policies and documents (CTPA).
- To capture and evidence what you've learned: Use iatroX to save a cited Q&A session from your research, add a structured reflection, and export it as a clean PDF for your appraisal portfolio.
Platform spotlights (neutral, “best for / consider” format)
Praktiki — micro-CPD you will actually complete
- Best for: Five-minute, weekday learning modules that help you build a consistent CPD habit. Its design is perfect for "habit stacking" into your daily routine.
- Consider: Pair your daily learning on the app with a simple reflection log to ensure the activity is properly evidenced for your appraisal (GOV.UK).
BMJ Best Practice — structured summaries, OpenAthens + offline
- Best for: Getting a concise, structured overview of diagnosis and management when time is tight at the point of care. Its offline access is a critical feature for use on hospital wards or in community settings with poor connectivity.
- Access: Available to all NHS staff via an institutional OpenAthens login (Mills & Reeve).
Medwise AI — UK-centric search (national + local guidance)
- Best for: Answering the specific question, "what do our NICE or local Trust pages say on this topic?". It is designed for quick checks of policy nuances and retrieving locally-approved pathways.
- Signal: The platform's product materials consistently emphasise its unique ability to retrieve local guidance, a key part of UK clinical workflows (CTPA).
iatroX — ask, cite, reflect, export
- Best for: Getting snappy, citation-first answers to clinical questions for reference and educational purposes. You can then save the conversation, add a structured reflection using a built-in template, and export a professional CPD PDF for your appraisal. Learn more about Ask iatroX and our CPD feature here.
- Also consider: For broader evidence-filtered search with linked sources, look at Trip/AskTrip. For deep, encyclopaedic AI-assisted summaries, consider DynaMedex Dyna AI or UpToDate AI Labs.
Copy-ready micro-workflows
- 10-minute CPD loop:
- Complete a Praktiki module on your commute.
- Open iatroX and record a 3-line reflection on what you learned.
- Tag the entry with a theme from your Personal Development Plan (PDP).
- At the end of the month, export your PDF log.
- Clinic unknowns:
- A patient presents with a condition you need to refresh. Open the BMJ Best Practice topic on your phone (works offline if pre-downloaded).
- If you know a specific local pathway exists, ask Medwise AI to retrieve it.
- Paste one or two key source links from your search into your clinical note.
- If the query sparked a learning point, save the question and cited answer in iatroX for your CPD log.
Buyer’s checklist (objective criteria you can verify)
- Access: Check for NHS OpenAthens entitlements, single sign-on (SSO) options, and mobile/offline capability.
- Provenance: Does the tool show clear citations and "last-updated" dates for its answers by default?
- Coverage: Does it cover national guidance (NICE/CKS) and, where relevant, your local Trust documents?
- Evidence capture: Does it provide downloadable PDF certificates, activity logs, or a dedicated CPD export feature?
- Governance: Ask the vendor about their DTAC posture during any procurement or adoption discussions.
FAQ
- Is BMJ Best Practice free for NHS staff?
- Yes, access is available via your NHS OpenAthens login. You can create a free personal account which enables the mobile app and its offline features (Mills & Reeve).
- Does Medwise AI include local Trust guidance?
- Yes, the platform states that retrieving and searching local guidance alongside national sources is a key part of its UK-specific value proposition (CTPA).
- Can I use Praktiki activity as CPD?
- Yes, it is a micro-learning platform designed for clinicians. To make it count for your appraisal, be sure to log your learning and write a brief reflection on its impact (GOV.UK).
- Can I export learning from iatroX?
- Yes, you can save Q&A conversations and manual entries, add reflections, and then export a consolidated PDF report for your portfolio.
Closing
The most effective approach is to treat these platforms as a stack, not as substitutes. Praktiki builds the daily learning habit. BMJ Best Practice gives you crisp, reliable summaries anywhere, even offline. Medwise AI fetches the right page (national or local) fast. And iatroX helps you keep your on-the-go learning cited, reflected upon, and exportable for your appraisal. It’s a cooperative toolkit that reflects how UK clinicians actually work—and it keeps you inside the lines on fair comparisons and NHS buyer expectations.