Editorial policy
At Dr Fox online doctor and pharmacy, we are committed to providing information that is accurate and up to date. We use the latest guidance and evidence from trusted resources and recognised healthcare bodies.
Our doctors produce medical information pages for the conditions that we prescribe medication for, and product information pages for the medicines that we use, referencing professional articles, patient information leaflets, medicine research data (SMC), and online clinical tools.
Our information is evidence-based, using where possible UK medical guidance, thorough research outcomes, and best clinical practice. This is to ensure the medicines that we supply are safe and effective following fundamental industry standards.
The medicines are supplied according to the licensing of the medication unless they are widely used for an unlicensed indication, and then we supply them off label. All our medications are regulated via the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on behalf of the UK licensing authority.
Our medical questionnaires are designed for individual patients to complete accurately and honestly to ensure the medication is suitable and supplied in a safe manner.
Medication consultation process
We only supply medications for conditions where it is safe to prescribe following a patient medical assessment using a questionnaire process. Guidance from organisations such as NICE, SIGN, MHRA, & BNF is used to develop treatment pathways alongside advice from appropriate UK Royal colleges and professional bodies such as RCGP, FSRH, BASSH, BAD, and RCP.
Product information pages include further information about the condition and the medicines available, how to use the medication, alternative treatment options, side effects, and cautions. We also produce a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) for each topic.
The technical director will further review the pages to ensure the understanding, consistency, and adherence to Dr Fox quality and overall presentation. The information also undergoes a medical peer review by the doctors on the team.
References are included that are used to help produce the information alongside useful links regarding the condition being treated.
When this process has been completed, the author will sign-off the pages and check the information after it is uploaded to the website.
The Medical Officer is alerted regularly by the MHRA and other organisations regarding any product issues and will review affected products and consultations following this.
Medical and information pages are reviewed on a rolling programme at least every 3 years or when new guidance is published to ensure they are up-to-date. If there has been a major change, or alterations in treatment, then a full rewrite will be performed.
Feedback or questions from patients regarding our information or products is reviewed and if necessary incorporated into our pages, often in the FAQ section.
The information provided is also continually being reviewed by our prescribing physicians and discussed at our regular clinical governance meetings with alterations being made if needed.
We are unable to supply medications that have not undergone this process and are not listed on our website.
Articles
At Dr Fox we also produce articles relevant to our products. This includes further information around conditions that we offer treatment for and new or interesting developments in these areas. These articles are also regularly reviewed to ensure information is up-to-date.
Our medical writers also author and contribute to news articles for many local, national, and international publications.
Writers
Our writers are experienced doctors with extensive NHS backgrounds. They are not affiliated with the companies that produce the medication and will have confirmed that they have no other conflicts of interest or financial benefits of prescribing certain medications.
Governance
As part of our commitment to clinical governance we ensure writers and prescribers are up-to-date with relevant clinical knowledge and that the medication we prescribe has evidence for its clinical effectiveness. If there are any changes, in particular to any risks or cautions linked to the medication, we reflect this in the information that we provide and in the medical questionnaire process. CQC guidance is followed for online primary care.
We regularly audit the work that we undertake, provide education and training to our staff, and have biannual full team clinical governance meetings. We welcome feedback from our patients, their GPs, and the pharmacies that we work with and use this to guide our content and service.
Authored 13 June 2023 by Dr Claire Pugh
MB ChB University of Liverpool 2000. NHS GP and GP appraiser in Bristol. GMC no. 4712688
Reviewed by Dr A. Wood, D. Broughton
Last reviewed 13 June 2023
Last updated 19 January 2024
