Guides by topic

Being a partner in my care: Realistic Medicine together
Scottish Government Realistic Medicine

In this section, you will find decision guides from trusted healthcare groups, like the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The guides are listed by category and in alphabetical order to make them easy to find.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has checked all these guides to make sure they are good and safe. You can see a summary of this check for each guide by clicking on “Quality Report.”

Ask your healthcare team to help you understand these guides. Do not use them instead of getting advice from your healthcare team.

This list will keep growing as we add more guides over time.

Cancer

Title: Surgery for bladder cancer

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Cancer fertility

Provider: University of Leeds

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Early breast cancer treatment options

Provider: Dynamed (EBSCO)

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for kidney cancer

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2018

Quality report

 

Title: Lynch syndrome

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2020

Quality report

 

Title: Intrabeam radiotherapy breast cancer

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published:2018

Quality report

 

Title: Reducing breast cancer risk post menopausal moderate risk

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality report

 

Title: Reducing breast cancer risk post menopausal high risk

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality report

 

Title: Tamoxifen high risk premenopausal

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality report

 

Title: Tamoxifen moderate risk premenopausal

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality reportt

Care of older people

Title: Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Osteoporosis

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Antipsychotics for dementia

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2018

Quality report

Critical care

 

Title: Critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU)

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2015

Quality report

Diabetes

Title: Type 2 diabetes blood glucose target

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2022

Quality Report

 

Title: Type 2 diabetes

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality Report

Ear, nose and throat

Title: Middle ear infection antibiotics

Provider: Australian Commission

Date published: 2020

Quality Report

 

Title: Sore throat: should I take antibiotics?

Provider: Australian Commission

Date published: 2020 

Quality Report

 

Title: Recurrent tonsillectomy in adults and children

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Eyes

Title: Making a decision about cataracts

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality Report

 

Title: Open-angle glaucoma

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality Report

 

Title: Wet age related macular degeneration

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality Report

Gut health

Title: Heartburn treatment options

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2014

Quality report

Heart conditions

Title: Aortic stenosis

Provider: Colorado Program

Date published: 2020

Quality report

 

Title: Afib stroke prevention

Provider: Colorado Program

Date published: 2017

Quality report

 

Title: Atrial fibrillation

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Further treatment for atrial fibrillation

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: How do I control my blood pressure

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Cardiac resychronisation therapy with defibrillator

Provider: Colorado Program

Date published: 2017

Quality report

 

Title: Coronary heart disease

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Heart failure preserved ejection fraction

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Heart failure reduced ejection fraction

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Hypertension

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Title: Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

Provider: Colorado Program

Date published: 2017

Quality report

 

Title: Replacement of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)

Provider: Colorado Program

Date published: 2017

Quality report

 

Title: Left Ventricular Assist Device LVAD

Provider: Colorado Program

Date published: 2020

Quality report

 

Title: Lipid lowering to prevent cardiovascular disease

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Should I take a statin?

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Kidney conditions

Title: Chronic kidney disease

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Dialysis

Provider: University of Leeds

Date published: 2024

Quality report

 

Title: Dialysis and conservative care

Provider: University of Leeds

Date published: 2020

Quality report

 

Title: Small kidney tumour

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for kidney cancer

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2018

Quality report

Medicines

Title: Antipsychotics for dementia

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2018

Quality report

 

Title: Sore throat: should I take antibiotics?

Provider: Australian Commission

Date published: 2020

Quality report

 

Title: Should I take a statin?

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Extended Thromboprophylaxis

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Bipolar disorder: is valproate the right treatment for me?

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Is valproate the right epilepsy treatment for me?

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Bronchitis: should I take antibiotics?

Provider: Australian Commission

Date published: 2020

Quality report

Mental health

Title: Bipolar disorder: is valproate the right treatment for me?

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Muscle and joint health

Title: Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Carpal tunnel syndrome

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Dupuytren's contracture

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Gout

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality Report

 

Title: Making a decision about hip osteoarthritis

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Making a decision about knee osteoarthritis

Provider: NHS England

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Osteoarthritis of the knee

Provider: Australian Commission

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Osteoporosis

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Nervous system conditions

Title: Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis

Provider: University of Leeds

Date published: 2021

Quality report

Respiratory (breathing) conditions

Title: Asthma inhalers and climate change

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Bronchitis

Provider: Australian Commission

Date published: 2020 

Quality report

 

Title: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Stroke

Title: Stroke: decompressive hemicraniectomy over 60

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Stroke: decompressive hemicraniectomy under 60

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019 

Quality report

 

Title: Stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

Surgery Cancer

Title: Surgery for bladder cancer

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for kidney cancer

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2018

Quality report

Surgery women's health

Title: Treating complications from mesh used for pelvic organ prolapse

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for uterine prolapse

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for vaginal vault prolapse

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Treating complications from mesh used or stress urinary incontinence

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for stress urinary incontinence

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

Urinary conditions

Title: Treating complications from mesh used for stress urinary incontinence

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2021

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for stress urinary incontinence

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019 

Quality report

 

Title: Lower urinary tract infection (UTI) antimicrobial prescribing

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Reducing recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) in postmenopausal women

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2018

Quality report

 

Title: Reducing recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) in premenopausal women

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2022

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for bladder cancer

Provider: Ottawa Hospital

Date published: 2019

Quality report

Women's health

Title: Abortion before 14 weeks

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Abortion 14 to 24 weeks

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Cancer fertility

Provider: University of Leeds

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Hormone treatment for endometriosis

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2017

Quality report

 

Title: Menopause

Provider: GP Evidence

Date published: 2023

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for uterine prolapse

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report

 

Title: Surgery for vaginal vault prolapse

Provider: NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence)

Date published: 2019

Quality report