About Us
Developed by a multidisciplinary team of UK-trained healthcare professionals, this digital platform is designed to provide clinicians with a practical, structured approach to patient assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and primary care administration.
On this page, you will find an overview of our project aims, guidance on navigating our clinical and administrative sections, and details regarding our editorial board and clinical governance standards.
Project Aims
We are a group of UK-trained health professionals specialising in primary care medicine. As the multidisciplinary workforce within primary care has expanded, we recognised the need for a clear and practical resource to support doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and physician associates in the assessment and diagnosis of disease in general practice.
The Textbook of Primary Care Medicine is a digital resource focused on the clinical assessment of patients, including history-taking, physical examination, and the formulation of differential diagnoses across a wide range of specialties. Where appropriate, we reference evidence-based management strategies in the main areas of primary care; however, readers are advised to consult current national and local guidelines when making clinical decisions regarding the treatment of specific diseases.
How to Use this Resource
The Textbook of Primary Care Medicine is designed to support healthcare professionals working in primary care. The resource is structured to reflect the way patients present in general practice and the way clinicians think during real consultations. It is divided into two main sections: administrative and clinical.
1. Administrative Section
The administrative section covers the structure and organisation of primary care, including funding, quality frameworks & monitoring, prescribing governance, referrals, and medico-legal principles. This section is intended to help clinicians understand how primary care systems function in the UK and how this affects clinical decision-making and patient care.
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2. Clinical Sections
The clinical content is organised into several parts, which can be used in different ways depending on the reader's needs:
History and Examination:
These chapters outline how to assess patients presenting with common symptoms in primary care. They focus on structured history-taking, relevant examination, and identification of red flag symptoms.
Systems-Based Disease Chapters:
These chapters cover diseases by system (cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology, endocrinology, dermatology, psychiatry, paediatrics, etc.). These chapters are designed for consolidation of knowledge, exam preparation, & quick reference.
Symptom-Based Differential Diagnosis:
These chapters are organised by presenting complaint (for example: chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, abdominal pain). Each chapter focuses on building a safe and logical differential diagnosis, identifying serious conditions that must not be missed, and outlining initial primary care management.
Emergencies and Urgent Presentations:
In an emergency, clinicians require quick access to relevant guidance. These chapters cover conditions that require urgent recognition, same-day assessment, emergency admission, or suspected cancer referral. The focus is on recognition, initial management, and appropriate referral pathways.
Readers are encouraged to consult the contents page for an overview of all sections included in the work. The search function will identify all chapters in which relevant keywords appear.
The Editorial Board
Associate Editor
Mr Alistair Vance BSc (Hons), MBBS, FRCS (Gen Surg), PG Cert (Medical Education)
Mr Vance is a Consultant General Surgeon and Clinical Lecturer with academic ties to Manchester and Leeds. He earned his medical degree from King's College London School of Medicine in 2010, alongside a first-class honours degree in Anatomy and Human Sciences. He went on to complete his higher surgical training within the North West Deanery. His clinical journey includes extensive sub-specialist experience in colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, and critical care medicine, acquired during his time at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal, and Leeds General Infirmary. He holds a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) and has contributed widely to multi-centre clinical trials. To support his passion for teaching, he completed a postgraduate qualification in Medical Education at the University of Dundee. Mr Vance specializes in surgical safety protocols, anatomy education, and the integration of secondary care pathways into general practice frameworks. Within the editorial team, he acts as an Associate Editor, overseeing the accuracy of surgical, anatomical, and acute care content, while managing contributions from regional clinical authors.
Chief Editor
Dr A. M. Asghar MBBS, MRCGP, MA, PG Dip (Genomic Medicine)
Dr Asghar is a UK-trained General Practitioner and Senior Clinical Lead working in Reading and Birmingham. He graduated from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (Queen Mary University of London) in 2005 and completed his Foundation and General Practice training in East London. During his early medical career, he gained broad clinical experience across a range of hospital specialties including Accident & Emergency, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics (general & GI), Psychiatry (Child and Adult), Endocrinology, Geriatric Medicine, Genitourinary & HIV Medicine, and General and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, working across Newham General Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew's Hospital, and Old Church Hospital (now Queen's Hospital, Romford). Dr Asghar has a particular interest in clinical education, diagnostic reasoning, and the development of structured approaches to assessment and decision-making in primary care. He is the Chief Editor of the Textbook of Primary Care Medicine, where he oversees content development, editorial standards, and clinical governance.
Senior Medical Editor
Dr Eleanor J. Rostova MBChB, MRCPCH, DFSRH, MSc (Evidence-Based Healthcare)
Dr Rostova is an experienced General Practitioner and Clinical Educator based in Bristol and Oxford. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School in 2008 and completed her early postgraduate training within the South East Scotland deanery, followed by specialist training in London. During her foundational career, Dr Rostova developed a robust clinical portfolio with a strong emphasis on community health and preventative medicine. She gained extensive experience across several acute and tertiary centres — including the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, St Mary's Hospital (Imperial College Healthcare), and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital — working in Paediatrics, Neonatology, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Dermatology, and Clinical Immunology. Dr Rostova's research and clinical interests focus on paediatric epidemiology, digital health communication, and translating complex clinical guidelines into accessible primary care tools. As a Senior Medical Editor, she leads the peer-review process, ensuring all published materials adhere to rigorous, evidence-based guidelines and contemporary clinical consensus.
Legal & Clinical Governance
Disclaimer
The Textbook of Primary Care Medicine is an educational resource intended for use by healthcare professionals. It is designed to support learning and clinical practice in primary care but is not a substitute for clinical judgement, formal training, or supervision by appropriately qualified clinicians.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in this resource is accurate and up to date, medicine is an evolving field and guidance may change over time. Clinicians must consult current national and local guidelines, including NICE guidance and local Integrated Care Board (ICB) or Trust policies, when making clinical decisions. Responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis, and management of patients rests with the treating clinician.
This resource is not intended for use by patients as a diagnostic tool and should not be used as the sole basis for clinical decision-making.
Clinical Governance
Content within this resource is written and reviewed by UK-trained healthcare professionals working in primary care and related specialties. The editorial team aims to ensure that information is evidence-based, clinically relevant, and aligned with current UK practice.
The content is periodically reviewed and updated to reflect changes in clinical guidelines and practice. Where appropriate, references to national guidance are provided. Users are encouraged to report any errors, outdated information, or areas for improvement to the editorial team so that corrections can be made.
In cases of medical emergency, suspected cancer, safeguarding concerns, or other high-risk presentations, clinicians must follow local and national urgent care pathways and escalation procedures.
Copyright & Use
All content in this resource is the intellectual property of the Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without permission from the editorial team, except for personal educational use.
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Have a question or need support? Our team is here to help you navigate our resources and ensure you have everything you need to thrive in your role.
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