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Shared Decision Options
Shared Decision options
Category
Title
Description
Link
Alcohol consumption
Simple brief interventions for alcohol excess
A tool for clinicians to use to help patients see the connection between harmful alcohol consumption and their health concerns. The SBI tool helps clinicians to support patients to cut back their drinking.
Alcohol consumption
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Monica. Monica’s health is affected by drinking too much. Monica drinks in a hazardous or harmful way.
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Monica to help her to make the connection between her drinking habits and her health concerns. Dr Birrell uses the structured brief intervention tool and negotiates a plan to reduce Monica’s alcohol intake.
Alcohol consumption
Options for managing alcohol excess – decision aid and handout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to cut back your drinking.
Anal fissure
Anal Fissure in adults - Brief Decision Aid.
Anal Fissure in adults - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Anxiety and depression
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Hannah. Hannah is anxious and perhaps depressed.
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Hannah to make informed decisions to reduce her anxiety levels and to improve her mood.
Anxiety and depression
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell and Hannah. Hannah is considering using a medicine for anxiety and her mood.
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Hannah to make informed decisions to reduce her anxiety levels and to improve her mood. They decide together if medicine for anxiety and depression might be worth trying. Which medicine might suit Hannah?
Anxiety and depression
Options for anxiety and depression – pros and cons decision aid
Print off this pros and cons decision aid to help you, and your doctor or therapist, decide what might suit you.
Anxiety and depression
Options for anxiety and depression – Mayo clinic decision aid for antidepressants
Print off this decision aid to help you, and your doctor to decide what might suit you.
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation - Brief Decision Aid.
Atrial fibrillation (non-valvular) and reducing the risk of a stroke - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Blood Pressure
Options for managing Blood pressure – decision aid and handout
Print off this pros and cons decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to manage your blood pressure.
Blood Pressure
Options to reduce cardiovascular risk when the risk is high.
Audio. Dr Keith Birrell talks to Douglas about how to reduce his future risk of heart attacks and strokes. Douglas has high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and a high risk of cardiovascular disease. We use the absolute cvd risk/ benefit tool
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome - Brief Decision Aid.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, (Pressure on the median nerve in the wrist) - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Chronic kidney disease
Options to reduce cardiovascular risk when the risk is high.
Audio. Dr Keith Birrell talks to Douglas about how to reduce his future risk of heart attacks and strokes. Douglas has high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and a high risk of cardiovascular disease. We use the absolute cvd risk/ benefit tool
Contraception
Contraception - Brief Decision Aid.
Contraception - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Cramps
Cramps - Brief Decision Aid.
Cramps in Legs - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Fibromyalgia
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Melanie who has fibromyalgia
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Melanie to make informed decisions to improve her pain, sleep and stress levels
Fibromyalgia
A condition that includes widespread painful trigger points, poor sleep, tension and often brain fog. Make sure that you are getting enough vitamin D, use our one page insomnia questionnaire to highlight your sleep problems and get help to solve them. Get help to become more active and tackle the stresses in your life.
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
Fibromyalgia
Options for treating fibromyalgia – decision aid and handout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to treat your fibromyalgia. Lifestyle changes are worth exploring too.
Functional illnesses
Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the problems that medical tests don’t show up
Dr Keith Birrell explains how some health problems can cause such misery without anything to find when you do a test
Functional illnesses
Functional neurological symptoms
This website is about Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). This is when someone has NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS (such as limb weakness, numbness, shaking or blackouts) which are REAL (and not imagined) and due to a PROBLEM with the FUNCTIONING of the nervous system not due to damage or structural disease of the nervous system causing difficulties for the person who experiences them. Some people have troublesome symptoms that they wish to understand without necessarily having a 'disorder' - these are called functional neurological symptoms, and this site is for you too. FND and functional symptoms surprisingly common but can be difficult for patients and health professionals to understand. This website, written by a neurologist with a special interest in these problems, aims to give you a better understanding of these symptoms. It has no advertising and is free. I hope you find it useful
Gout treatment options
Pros and cons decision aid for the treatment of gout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP
Heavy Periods
Heavy Periods - Brief Decision Aid.
Heavy Mentrual Bleeding (Heavy Periods) - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
High risk of cardiovascular disease
Options to reduce cardiovascular risk when the risk is high.
Audio. Dr Keith Birrell talks to Douglas about how to reduce his future risk of heart attacks and strokes. Douglas has high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and a high risk of cardiovascular disease. We use the absolute cvd risk/ benefit tool
Hormone replacement therapy and the menopause
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Tina who is considering using HRT.
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Tina to make informed decisions relating to the use of HRT (Hormone replacement therapy).
Hormone replacement therapy and the menopause
Options for HRT – decision aid and handout
Print this sheet off to take to your appointment with your GP or practice nurse. The type of HRT that might suit you depends on whether you still have a uterus.
How to lose weight
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Mark who wants to lose weight
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Mark to make informed decisions to help him lose weight
How to lose weight
Low GI Diet - Slow release carbohydrates that help to keep you blood sugars down and prevent type 2 diabetes
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
How to lose weight
Mediterranean Diet - A combination of foods from the mediterranean proven to protect against heart disease
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
How to lose weight
5:2 (fast) diet - On 2 convenient days a week you follow a low calorie diet. The rest of the time it’s OK to be a little naughty. A great way to lose weight. Ideal for those who aren’t good at sticking to diets.
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
How to lose weight
Options for maintaining and losing weight – decision aid and handout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to manage your weight.
Insomnia
Epworth Sleepiness Scale
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a scale to measure daytime sleepiness using a very short questionnaire. This can be helpful in diagnosing sleep apnoea. It was introduced in 1991 by Dr Murray Johns of Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Insomnia
Read Dr Keiths article on sleep
Dr Keith Birrell lists a number of factors and helpful tools to deal with Insomnia
Insomnia
Shared decision options audio of Dr Keith Birrell with insomniac Carl
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell talk to Carl about his sleep problems linked to stress
Insomnia
Sleep Diary
The Sleep Diary is useful when a more comprehensive assessment is required. The times that are written down need only be estimated.
Insomnia
Sleep Hygiene
A leaflet describing things to avoid, helpful hints and notes on illness related to poor sleep
Insomnia
Shared decision options audio of Dr Keith Birrell with insomniac Neil
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Neil to make informed decisions to improve his sleep.
Insomnia
Sleep Booklet
Dr Dave Tomson's booklet guiding a patient through their sleep problems
Insomnia
Insomnia Questionaire
A one page questionaire to help track sleep issues
Insomnia
Sleep Restriction
Sleep Restriction is used to more closely match the amount of time you spend in bed with the amount of sleep your body is currently producing. This document shows techniques to be used for sleep restriction
Irritable Bowel syndrome
Irritable Bowel syndrome - Brief Decision Aid.
Management of IBS (Irritable Bowel syndrome) - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Irritable bowel syndrome
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Joanne who has Irritable bowel syndrome
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Joanne to make informed decisions to improve her irritable bowel symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Rachel who has Irritable bowel syndrome
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Rachel to make informed decisions to improve her irritable bowel symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome
A condition in which the milking action of the bowel misfires and causes pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
Irritable bowel syndrome
Low FODMAP diets - If you have Irritable Bowel syndrome certain foods can trigger bloating and abdominal pain. A dietician can help you to figure out which foods to avoid.
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
Irritable bowel syndrome
Probiotics and prebiotics - The healthy bacteria in our guts are linked with our health. Consider taking a course of probiotics if you take antibiotics. What we eat affects the health of our gut bugs. Thin people have different bugs from overweight people. It is possible to cure crohns disease with a faecal transplant.
Link to Patient Information Leaflet from patient.info
Irritable bowel syndrome
Options for managing IBS – decision aid and handout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to manage your IBS.
Menstrual cycle symptoms
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Laura who has symptoms linked to her menstrual cycle
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Laura to make informed decisions to reduce symptoms linked to her menstrual cycle.
Migraine
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Pippa who gets migraine headaches
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Pippa to make informed decisions about how to treat and prevent migraines
Migraine
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Ross who gets migraine headaches
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Ross to make informed decisions about how to prevent migraines
Migraine
Options for preventing migraine – decision aid and handout
If you have migraines twice a week, or more, you might want to explore options for preventing migraines. Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision.
Migraine
Options for treating migraine – decision aid and handout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to treat your migraine. Lifestyle changes are worth exploring too.
Osteoarthritis - Knee
Knee osteoarthritis - Brief Decision Aid.
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Osteoarthritis, options for pain relief
Options for treating osteoarthritis pain – pros and cons decision aid
What are the benefits and risks of each treatment for osteoarthritis pain?
Osteoathritis Pain
C-TOP tool for Comparing treatment options for osteoarthritis pain (pain calculator)
C-TOP tool for Comparing treatment options for osteoarthritis pain
Osteoporosis, osteopaenia and bone health
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Margaret. Margaret has osteoporosis (weak bones).
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Margaret to make informed decisions to about how to keep her bones healthy and prevent broken bones.
Osteoporosis, osteopaenia and bone health
Calcium Calculator (Edinburgh)
Online tool to help you to work out if you have enough calcium in your diet to keep your bones strong. If your calcium intake is low your doctor may recommend that you take calcium supplements.
Osteoporosis, osteopaenia and bone health
Bone health choice decision aid (Mayo clinic)
Online tool to help you, and your doctor, to decide if it is worth you taking a bisphosphonate medicine. What would be the benefit of you taking a weekly tablet like alendronic acid for up to 3-5 years. What side effects or harm might the alendronic acid cause?
Pain
Pain - Introducing the pain resources on realgeneralpractice.org
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell introducing the pain resources on realgeneralpractice.org to David who has for osteoarthritis and neuropathic pain
Pain
Brenda - Chronic low back pain and sciatica. Shared decision option discussion for painkillers
Dr Keith Birrell shares the evidence for options for managing long term low back pain with intermittent sciatica with Brenda
Pain
Pain (long-term and flare-up), medication options
Use this Option Grid™ decision aid to help you and your healthcare professional decide which tablets you may like to take for longterm and flare-up pain of the muscles, ligaments, or soft tissue. This medication information applies to the United Kingdom only.
Pain
Pain (nerve type), medication options
Use this Option Grid™ decision aid to help you and your healthcare professional decide which tablets you may want to consider for the management of all nerve type pain, such as stabbing, shooting, or burning pain, except for patients with diabetic neuropathy or trigeminal neuralgia. This medication information applies to the United Kingdom only. Consider carbamazepine for trigeminal neuralgia and duloxetine for diabetic neuropathy.
Pain
Neuropathic pain - shared options discussion
Dr Keith talks to his patient about their experiences of neuropathic pain
Pain
C-TOP tool for Comparing treatment options for neuropathic pain
C-TOP tool for Comparing treatment options for neuropathic pain
Pain
Live well with pain website
For people who are living with pain. Really useful information and resources to help you live well, despite the pain.
Pain
Options for managing osteoarthritis pain
Dr Keith Birrell talks to David to help him to choose an option for managing his painful osteoarthritis
Pain
Options for neuropathic pain using the C-TOP tool
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell sharing the options to manage neuropathic pain, with David using the C-TOP tool
Phobia
EMDR treatment for phobia or PTSD
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell teaching Jessica the technique of EMDR to help her face her phobia of flying
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis - Brief Decision Aid.
Plantar Fasciitis (Heel/Foot Pain) - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith talks to his patient about her options for polycystic ovary syndrome
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell talking to Madeline about polycystic ovary syndrome and her options. Madeline is interested in becoming pregnant again and preventing endometrial cancer.
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith talks to his patient about her options for polycystic ovary syndrome
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell talking to Avril about polycystic ovary syndrome and her options.
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Options for managing polycystic ovary syndrome – decision aid and handout
Print off this decision aid and take it to your GP, so that you can share the decision on how to manage your Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Preventing heart attacks and strokes
Options to reduce cardiovascular risk when the risk is high.
Audio. Dr Keith Birrell talks to Douglas about how to reduce his future risk of heart attacks and strokes. Douglas has high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and a high risk of cardiovascular disease. We use the absolute cvd risk/ benefit tool
Preventing heart attacks angina and stroke
Preventing Heart attacks, Angina and Strokes - instructions for use of an online tool
Could you be at risk? Download the following attachment. Print it off and ask your receptionist, nurse or doctor to give you the following numbers; your top (systolic) blood pressure; your cholesterol number; your healthy (HDL) cholesterol number; your height in cm; your weight in kg; and whether you have chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes. If you do not have familial hypercholesterolaemia (uncommon), nor have you had a heart attack, angina, a stroke or narrowed arteries, then you can decide with the Prevention Heart attacks 2018 tool, whether it is worth doing something about your risk. The tool will tell you what your risk is at the moment and which options might help you.
Preventing heart attacks angina and stroke
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Julia who has high blood pressure. Julia is interested in reducing his future risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Julia who has high blood pressure to make informed decisions to reduce her future risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Preventing heart attacks angina and stroke
Shared decision options audio - Dr Keith Birrell talks to Monica who has high blood pressure
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Monica who has high blood pressure to make informed decisions to reduce her future risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Preventing heart attacks angina and stroke
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Paul who has high blood pressure. Paul is interested in reducing his future risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Paul who has high blood pressure to make informed decisions to reduce his future risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Preventing heart attacks angina and stroke
The Absolute CVD Risk/Benefit Calculator. Calculate your own 10 year risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. Click on Qrisk2 to get British risk numbers.
You will need your age, sex, ethnic origin, smoking status, do you have diabetes?, your top (systolic) blood pressure, whether you are on blood pressure medicine, your cholesterol number, your healthy (HDL) cholesterol number, whether your parents or siblings had a heart attack, or angina, before 60, if you have chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation of the heart, rheumatoid arthritis and also your height (in cm) and your weight (in kg). This computer programme will only work for you if you are 40 or above and don’t already have obvious damage to your blood vessels (heart attack, angina, a stroke or narrow blood vessels to your legs). It does not work for those people who have familial hypercholesterolaemia (uncommon - 1 in 500 people). The computer programme should give you a risk number. This is the chance that you might have a heart attack, angina or a stroke in the next 10 years. This is shown with red and pink faces. If your number is higher than 20% then you should definitely discuss this with your GP. If the number is 10-19% you should probably talk to your nurse.
Prostate enlargement
Prostate enlargement - Brief Decision Aid.
Prostate Gland Enlargement - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Stopping smoking
Stopping smoking - Brief Decision Aid.
Stopping smoking, Ways to stop - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow - Brief Decision Aid.
Tennis elbow - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Christine who wants to understand what she should do about her type 2 diabetes
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Christine to make informed decisions about how to manage her type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Shared decision options audio. Dr Keith Birrell with Gordon who has newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes
Listen to Dr Keith Birrell guiding Gordon to make informed decisions about how to manage his type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Options for managing type 2 diabetes – decision aid and handout
Print out this shared decision aid and take it to your diabetes review appointment.
Urinary Tract Infection
UTI - Brief Decision Aid.
Simple urinary tract infection (UTI) - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?
Warts and verrucae
Warts and verrucae - Brief Decision Aid.
Plantar Warts (Warts and Verrucae - Management Options - Brief Decision Aids are designed to help you answer three questions, Do I have options? What are the benefits and risks of these options, (and how likely are they)? How can we make a decision together that is right for me?